PATH: New tools for polio surveillance could aid eradication efforts
July 22, 2014
Excerpt
With grant funding made possible by the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, two new tools to help detect the poliovirus may soon strengthen global efforts to eradicate the disease. The foundation will invest up to US$5.3 million dollars in support of this goal.

The tools, a system to improve environmental surveillance and a simplified diagnostic test, were developed by PATH, a leading international health organization, and researchers at the University of Washington (UW). They have the potential to help workers identify and stop polio by making it easier to find the virus in sewage and among people. Although polio spreads very quickly and can be devastating, many people will never show symptoms—making early detection and response crucial for controlling the spread of disease.

The grant announcement, made today by PATH and UW, comes at a time of heightened attention to the spread of polio worldwide. In early May, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, warning that the recent spread of the virus from Pakistan, Syria, and Cameroon to neighboring countries could spark widespread epidemics if leaders do not take action.

The initial $2.4 million of the grant, administered in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will allow the PATH/UW team to accelerate development, evaluation, and introduction of the tools in coordination with global polio eradication partners. Additional technical and administrative support will be provided by the Gates Foundation as part of its longstanding support for eradication. PATH and UW will seek additional technical advice from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO….