A team from the University of Birmingham, in collaboration with the Rwanda Biomedical Centre and the University of Rwanda, announced on Mar. 9 that they have successfully developed and validated an antibody test for Mpox during a recent outbreak in Rwanda.
The new IgG ELISA assay is the first of its kind to be validated within this setting, providing public health authorities with a tool to detect antibodies to the Mpox virus after infection or vaccination. This allows researchers to better understand disease transmission networks, prioritize vaccination efforts, and monitor changes in immunity over time.
The project, known as MpoxCARE, involved collecting blood samples from Rwandan patients who had either received an Mpox vaccine, previously been infected with Mpox, or had no exposure to the disease. The test was evaluated for its ability to identify individuals who developed antibodies following infection or vaccination. Researchers designed the assay using only four key antibody signatures to ensure affordability and accessibility for remote laboratories.
Professor Christopher Green from the University of Birmingham said: "We are proud to have the capacity to conduct high-quality research in equal partnership with talented scientists in Rwanda in a time of need. We remain fully committed to building capacity for managing future outbreaks of infectious disease and we are very grateful to members of the Rwanda public especially who supported this research. It is critical that science is developed in the settings and populations that reflect the need. This is a meaningful step forward to improve global health security and is a real-world demonstration of research in action."
The diagnostic tool builds on a longstanding relationship between the University of Birmingham and Rwanda Biomedical Centre, which includes international PhD studentships and expertise from NHS and NIHR aimed at rapid development of scientific countermeasures for vaccine-preventable diseases.
Professor Alex Richter, Director of Clinical Immunology Service at University of Birmingham, said: "Working collaboratively across sectors and across countries has enabled the rapid development of our test. This Mpox antibody test was designed to be used in Rwanda and so the ability to validate in a local population ensures it is fit for purpose."
