Rift valley fever: diagnostic challenges and investment needs for vaccine development

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Virology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Rift Valley Fever Virus (RVFV) is a zoonotic pathogen causing significant disease in livestock and humans, particularly in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
• Outbreaks have led to thousands of cases and deaths, with no licensed human vaccine available, classifying RVFV as a WHO priority pathogen.
• Effective countermeasures, including vaccines, are lacking, necessitating improved surveillance and diagnostic capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a comprehensive analysis of existing diagnostic solutions for RVFV detection in humans.
• To identify critical gaps in current diagnostic methods, both in-house and commercial.
• To highlight investment needs for diagnostics essential for accelerating RVFV vaccine development and evaluation.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and landscaping of available diagnostic technologies for RVFV.
• Gap analysis of current diagnostic solutions based on performance, accessibility, and suitability for different surveillance stages.
• Identification of requirements for robust diagnostic methodologies for remote deployment.

Main Results:

• A landscape of current RVFV diagnostic solutions was generated.
• Significant gaps were identified in the availability and performance of existing diagnostic methods.
• Specific investment needs for advancing RVFV diagnostics were highlighted.

Conclusions:

• Robust and accessible diagnostic tools are essential for effective RVFV surveillance and vaccine efficacy trials.
• Targeted investment in diagnostic development is critical to accelerate the creation of countermeasures against RVFV.
• Addressing diagnostic gaps will improve the ability to manage and control RVFV outbreaks.