Priority use cases for antibody-detecting assays of recent malaria exposure as tools to achieve and sustain malaria elimination

• Published in: Gates open research Vol. 3; p. 131
• Main Authors: Greenhouse, Bryan, Daily, Jennifer, Guinovart, Caterina, Goncalves, Bronner, Beeson, James, Bell, David, Chang, Michelle A, Cohen, Justin M, Ding, Xavier, Domingo, Gonzalo, Eisele, Thomas P, Lammie, Patrick J, Mayor, Alfredo, Merienne, Nicolas, Monteiro, Wuelto, Painter, John, Rodriguez, Isabel, White, Michael, Drakeley, Chris, Mueller, Ivo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation 2019; F1000 Research Limited; F1000 Research Ltd
• Subjects: Malaria; Malària; Open Letter; Serodiagnosis; Serodiagnòstic; Serology; Malaria; Use Cases; Elimination
• ISSN: 2572-4754; 2572-4754
• DOI: 10.12688/gatesopenres.12897.1

Measurement of malaria specific antibody responses represents a practical and informative method for malaria control programs to assess recent exposure to infection. Technical advances in recombinant antigen production, serological screening platforms, and analytical methods have enabled the identification of several target antigens for laboratory based and point-of-contact tests. Questions remain as to how these serological assays can best be integrated into malaria surveillance activities to inform programmatic decision-making. This report synthesizes discussions from a convening at Institut Pasteur in Paris in June 2017 aimed at defining practical and informative use cases for serology applications and highlights five programmatic uses for serological assays including: documenting the absence of transmission; stratification of transmission; measuring the effect of interventions; informing a decentralized immediate response; and testing and treating hypnozoite carriers.