Contact Person: Valerie Hungerbühler
Duration: September 2021 - June 2023
Q fever (QF), caused by Coxiella brunetii, and rift valley fever (RVF) are zoonotic diseases that are endemic in most African countries and pose a high burden to livestock and humans. In 2018, blood samples were collected from 966 people and their 1041 livestock in two health districts (Yao and Danamadji) in rural Chad. The sera were first tested for QF and RVF by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in Chad. From these, one hundred human and one hundred animal samples each were randomly selected and retested in laboratories in Switzerland and Germany by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) or ELISA. The objective of this study is to evaluate commercially available diagnostic tests in populations where they are routinely used by assessing agreement of re-testing results depending on covariates, i.e. factors that might influence agreement: district and setting (village/camp) where the sample was collected, and sex, age, and animal species.
Here, we contribute to the knowledge of test performance under field conditions, which is essential for a comprehensive understanding of pathogen epidemiology and, thus, for the sustainable implementation of surveillance and control measures.
