Multisite Laboratory Evaluation of a Dual Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Syphilis Point-of-Care Rapid Test for Simultaneous Detection of HIV and Syphilis Infection.

Background: Recently, test developers have created rapid point-of-care tests that can simultaneously detect multiple infections within the same specimen using a single device. The SD BIOLINE Duo HIV/Syphilis rapid point-of-care test uses a solid-phase immunochromatographic assay to detect immunoglobulin (Ig)G, IgM, and IgA antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-specific antigens (HIV-1 gp41, sub O, HIV-2 gp36) and recombinant Treponema pallidum antigen (17 kDa) in human serum. This study was a multisite laboratory-based evaluation of the performance of SD BIOLINE HIV/Syphilis Duo test using previously characterized sera in 6 countries.

Improving tuberculosis case detection rate with a lay informant questionnaire: an experience from the Lao People's Democratic Republic.

Problem: In many countries, the tuberculosis (TB) annual case detection rate is below the target of 70%. In the Lao People's Democratic Republic in 2005, it did not exceed 55%

Approach: The DOTS strategy promotes passive case detection of TB. In order to increase the detection rate, we validated a questionnaire targeting lay informants at village level to notify patients with chronic cough and assessed the relevance for TB case-finding.