Development of a New Rapid Diagnostic Test to Support Onchocerciasis Elimination

NCT ID: NCT06350851

Last Updated: 2025-03-07

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

400 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-04-15

Study Completion Date

2025-12-31

Brief Summary

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Onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness, is one of the disease targeted for elimination by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the group of Neglected Tropical Diseases. Existing diagnostic tools for onchocerciasis have limitations that make mapping, epidemiological assessments and verification of elimination of onchocerciasis difficult. It is in this context that WHO, in its 2021-2030 roadmap for onchocerciasis, has identified the development of new diagnostic tests, or the improvement of existing diagnostic tests, as a critical condition for achieving the goal of eliminating onchocerciasis transmission.

To this end, a series of cross-sectional studies will be carried out in Cameroun over a one year period to collect and characterize biological samples for the development and evaluation of a new rapid diagnostic test for onchocerciasis. The study will target individuals aged 18 and over, mono-infected with one of the filarial species Onchocerca volvulus, Loa loa or Mansonella perstans; and non-infected.

At the end of this study, data on the endemicity of onchocerciasis, loiasis and mansonellosis in the selected communities will be updated. More importantly, a new rapid diagnostic test will be developed, which can then be used to monitor the activities of onchocerciasis control programs.

Detailed Description

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Onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness, stands as the second leading cause of infectious blindness worldwide. According to estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 25 million people are infected globally, with another 90 million at risk. Over 99% of these cases occur in Africa, and vision loss affects around 1.15 million individuals. The primary strategy for combating onchocerciasis currently is Community Directed Treatment with Ivermectin (CDTI), requiring a minimum of 80% therapeutic coverage for 10 -15 years.

Areas of West and Central Africa endemic for loiasis and mansonellasis, where ivermectin may trigger severe side effects, pose a significant challenge in the battle against onchocerciasis. Existing diagnostic tools for onchocerciasis have limitations that make mapping, epidemiological assessments and verification of elimination of onchocerciasis difficult. This situation underscores the importance of improving the specificity of onchocerciasis diagnosis to reduce cross-reactivity and false results due to other parasitic helminths in co-endemic regions. It is in this context that WHO, in its 2021-2030 roadmap for onchocerciasis, has identified the development of new diagnostic tests, or the improvement of existing diagnostic tests, as a critical condition for achieving the goal of eliminating onchocerciasis transmission.

To this end, a series of cross-sectional studies will be carried out to build up a bank of well-characterized biological samples for the development and evaluation of a new rapid diagnostic test for onchocerciasis. These studies will take place in the Centre, Littoral, West and South regions of Cameroon over a one year period. The study will target individuals aged 18 and over, mono-infected with one of the filarial species Onchocerca volvulus, Loa loa or Mansonella perstans; and non-infected. The study will begin with a screening phase during which potential participants will be diagnosed for the different filariasis. Following this screening phase, individuals meeting the inclusion criteria will be selected. Once consent has been obtained, blood samples will be taken for test development and validation of the onchocerciasis RDT. In fact, venous blood sample (in a tube containing EDTA) will be taken for each participant, by venipuncture. After collection, the tube(s) containing the blood will be stored in a cooler containing ice and transported to the laboratory within 6 hours of collection. Once at the laboratory, the plasma will be immediately prepared, then aliquoted and stored at -80ÂșC until transfer to BIOASTER for development and evaluation of the new diagnostic test for onchocerciasis.

At the end of this study, data on the endemicity of onchocerciasis, loiasis and mansonellosis in the selected communities will be updated. More importantly, a new rapid diagnostic test will be developed, which can then be used to monitor the activities of onchocerciasis control programs.

Conditions

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Onchocerciasis Loiasis Mansonelliasis Healthy Volunteers

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NON_RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

DIAGNOSTIC

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Group1: Control subjects (non-infected with filariasis)

Blood drawing + feces sample collection

Group Type OTHER

Biological samples collection (blood drawing + feces)

Intervention Type BIOLOGICAL

Blood and feces samples will be collected from each volunteer.

Group 2: Subjects mono-infected with Onchocerca volvulus

Blood drawing + feces sample collection

Group Type OTHER

Biological samples collection (blood drawing + feces)

Intervention Type BIOLOGICAL

Blood and feces samples will be collected from each volunteer.

Group 3: Subjects mono-infected with Loa loa

Blood drawing + feces sample collection

Group Type OTHER

Biological samples collection (blood drawing + feces)

Intervention Type BIOLOGICAL

Blood and feces samples will be collected from each volunteer.

Group 4: Subjects mono-infected with Mansonella perstans (alternatively co-infected with Loa loa)

Blood drawing + feces sample collection

Group Type OTHER

Biological samples collection (blood drawing + feces)

Intervention Type BIOLOGICAL

Blood and feces samples will be collected from each volunteer.

Interventions

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Biological samples collection (blood drawing + feces)

Blood and feces samples will be collected from each volunteer.

Intervention Type BIOLOGICAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Subjects informed of the objectives of the study and who signed a consent form
* Subjects without filariasis (for control subjects), or
* Subjects mono-infected with Onchocerca volvulus, or
* Subjects mono-infected with Loa loa, or
* Subjects mono-infected with Mansonella perstans or alternatively co-infected with Mansonella perstans and Loa loa

Exclusion Criteria

* Pregnant or breast-feeding women
* Subjects having taken antihelminthic treatment less than 6 months before the inclusion date
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Bioaster

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Philippe LEISSNER

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Bioaster

Joseph KAMGNO

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

ISM (Higher Institute for Scientific and Medical Research)

Locations

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Higher Institute for Scientific and Medical Research

Yaoundé, , Cameroon

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Cameroon

Central Contacts

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Marie KOENIG

Role: CONTACT

+33634452334

Marion DARNAUD

Role: CONTACT

+33481111002

Facility Contacts

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Joseph KAMGNO

Role: primary

+237 6 75 06 91 58

Related Links

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https://www.ismcm.org/

Higher Institute for Scientific and Medical research website

Other Identifiers

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BA161WP1

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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