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A new initiative for the development of new diagnostic tests for human African trypanosomiasis

Dietmar Steverding

Biomedical Research Centre, School of Medicine, Health Policy and Practice, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK

Kinetoplastid Biology and Disease 2006, 5:1doi:10.1186/1475-9292-5-1

Published: 25 April 2006

Abstract

Human African trypanosomiasis is a threat to millions of people living in sub-Saharan countries and is fatal unless treated. At present, the serological and parasitological tests used in the field for diagnosis of sleeping sickness have low specificity and sensitivity. There is clearly an urgent need for accurate tools for both diagnosis and staging of the disease. The Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics and the World Health Organization have announced that they will collaborate to develop and evaluate new diagnostic tests for human African trypanosomiasis.


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