Presenter of 2 Presentations
SELF-SAMPLING MOLECULAR APPROACHES FOR SCREENING FEMALE GENITAL SCHISTOSOMIASIS AND CERVICAL CANCER (ID 1889)
Abstract
Abstract Body
It is estimated that around 40 million women living in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are affected by female genital schistosomiasis (FGS), a chronic gynaecological disease caused by the waterborne parasite, Schistosoma haematobium (Sh). FGS is associated with infertility, dyspareunia and symptoms mimicking sexually transmitted infections. Awareness of the disease is largely absent despite growing evidence of increased prevalence of HIV and suggestion of increased cervical dysplasia, the precursor of cervical cancer (CC). Conventional FGS diagnosis is challenging, as it relies on costly equipment and high-level specialised training seldom available in resource-limited countries.
Genital self-sampling for the diagnosis of female genital schistosomiasis (FGS) was a novel strategy piloted in 2018 (BILHIV study) in Zambia. Parasite DNA detection from self-sampling strategies was comparable to clinician obtained. Samples were processed by conventional PCR and field-deployable isothermal assay (RPA) with excellent concordance. Self-sampling strategies have been validated for the detection of oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes, etiological agents of CC. HPV point-of-care diagnostic tests are commercially available. Genital self-swabs are well accepted by participants and increase compliance across settings.
The ongoing Zipime Schista Study! In Zambia is a longitudinal cohort study aiming to include multiple-pathogen screening through genital self-sampling (Sh, HPV) and offering self-testing for HIV and STIs. This strategy is coupled with novel molecular assays that are field deployable and can provide a scalable cost-effective strategy. The design and preliminary results of the study will be presented.
DIAGNOSIS OF FEMALE GENITAL SCHISTOSOMIASIS, ALONGSIDE HPV SCREENING (ID 1972)
Abstract
Abstract Body
It is estimated that around 40 million women living in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are affected by female genital schistosomiasis (FGS), a chronic gynaecological disease caused by a waterborne parasite, Schistosoma haematobium (Sh). FGS is associated with infertility, dyspareunia and symptoms mimicking sexually transmitted infections. Awareness of the disease is largely absent in endemic communities despite growing evidence of increased prevalence of HIV and suggestion of increased cervical dysplasia, the precursor of cervical cancer (CC). Conventional FGS diagnosis is challenging, as it relies on costly equipment and high-level specialised training seldom available in resource-limited countries. Accurate estimation of disease burden is therefore hindered. To overcome these diagnostic hurdles, genital self-sampling for the community-based diagnosis of FGS compared to clinician-obtained sampling was piloted in Zambia in 2018 with excellent results (the BILHIV study). Self-sampling strategies had already been validated for the detection of oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes, the etiological agents of CC and HPV point-of-care diagnostic tests are now commercially available but not yet adopted across SSA. Genital self-swabs are well accepted by participants and are known to increase compliance across settings.
The ongoing Zipime Schista Study! In Zambia is a longitudinal cohort study aiming to include multiple-pathogen screening through self-sampling (Sh, HPV) and offering self-testing for HIV and STIs. This strategy is coupled with novel molecular assays that are field deployable and can provide a scalable cost-effective strategy. The study design and preliminary results will be presented.