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. 2023 Jan;29(1):1-9.
doi: 10.3201/eid2901.221025.

Efficiency of Field Laboratories for Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak during Chronic Insecurity, Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2018-2020

Daniel Mukadi-Bamuleka, Fabrice Mambu-Mbika, Anja De Weggheleire, François Edidi-Atani, Junior Bulabula-Penge, Meris Matondo Kua Mfumu, Anaïs Legand, Antoine Nkuba-Ndaye, Yannick Tutu Tshia N'kasar, Placide Mbala-Kingebeni, John D Klena, Joel M Montgomery, Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum, Pierre Formenty, Johan van Griensven, Kevin K Ariën, Steve Ahuka-Mundeke

Efficiency of Field Laboratories for Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak during Chronic Insecurity, Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2018-2020

Daniel Mukadi-Bamuleka et al. Emerg Infect Dis. 2023 Jan.

Abstract

During the 10th outbreak of Ebola virus disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale strategically positioned 13 decentralized field laboratories with dedicated equipment to quickly detect cases as the outbreak evolved. The laboratories were operated by national staff, who quickly handed over competencies and skills to local persons to successfully manage future outbreaks. Laboratories analyzed ≈230,000 Ebola diagnostic samples under stringent biosafety measures, documentation, and database management. Field laboratories diversified their activities (diagnosis, chemistry and hematology, survivor follow-up, and genomic sequencing) and shipped 127,993 samples from the field to a biorepository in Kinshasa under good conditions. Deploying decentralized and well-equipped laboratories run by local personnel in at-risk countries for Ebola virus disease outbreaks is an efficient response; all activities are quickly conducted in the field.

Keywords: DRC; Democratic Republic of the Congo; EVD; Ebola; Ebola virus disease; INRB; Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale; chronic insecurity; laboratory; outbreak; viruses.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Advanced field laboratory setup used for Ebola virus disease outbreak during chronic insecurity, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2018–2020. GeneXpert, (Cepheid, https://www.cepheid.com); pocH-100i (Sysmex (https://www.sysmex.com); Piccolo (Abaxis (https://www.abaxis.com).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Basic field laboratory setup used for Ebola virus disease outbreak during chronic insecurity, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2018–2020. GeneXpert, Cepheid, https://www.cepheid.com; pocH-100i, Sysmex, https://www.sysmex.com; Piccolo, Abaxis, https://www.abaxis.com.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Organizational chart for field laboratories used for Ebola virus disease outbreak during chronic insecurity, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2018–2020. INRB, Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale.
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