DDNS technique could reduce the time to detect polio, study shows

Published

2 years ago

August 18, 2023

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Reviewed by Lily Ramsey, LLM Aug 18 2023

A new study, 'Sensitive poliovirus detection using nested PCR and nanopore sequencing: a prospective validation study', published today (17 August 2023) in Nature Microbiology, proves that using DDNS to detect polio outbreaks can save public health authorities crucial time and money.

This research was jointly conducted by researchers at the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale in Kinshasa who implemented DDNS in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for the detection of polio outbreaks in collaboration with the MHRA, Imperial College London, the University of Edinburgh and various laboratories of the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Polio Laboratory Network (GPLN), with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

This is the first time that this type of scientific technique has been used to detect polio. Similar techniques have previously been used to detect COVID-19, Ebola, measles and monkeypox.

By enabling samples to be tested in the country where the outbreak originated rather than being sent to specialist laboratories abroad, the costs and delays of transport and testing can be reduced from an average of 42 days to an average of 19 days.

Currently, stool samples from countries with active polio outbreaks such as the DRC must be shipped around the world for lengthy, complex laboratory tests to confirm a polio case. Faster detection of polio in the regions where outbreaks still occur allows for a faster response by authorities through targeted, localised vaccination campaigns, minimising the opportunity for the virus to spread.

Javier Martin, Principal Scientist in Virology at the MHRA said: We are standing at a delicate and pivotal moment for the eradication of polio. While vaccination programmes have seen polio disappear in many countries, the delayed detection of outbreaks poses a major threat to those efforts.

By implementing detection methods such as DDNS, we can identify where outbreaks are and which polio strain is present much more quickly, allowing us to act at the earliest opportunity.

This is the result of years of work, collaborating with our partners. Together, we will continue to build on this research and support countries at risk of outbreaks to implement DDNS testing to help make polio a disease of the past."

This research showed that DDNS tests done locally in the DRC over a six-month period were an average of 23 days faster than the standard method, with over 99% accuracy.

Researchers also tested this technique in the UK and detected poliovirus in London in 2022, leading to the recent drive to ensure children under the age of 12 are vaccinated through the London polio catch-up campaign 2023.

Professor Placide Mbala-Kingebeni, Medical Doctor and Virologist at the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale said: This is the perfect example of collaboration, where combining and sharing knowledge together with all our partners has supported the vital work of the INRB in the DRC where poliomyelitis remains a serious public health problem.

Collaboration and training with our partners has empowered the local team not only to master and confidently carry out this new technique but also to transfer the knowledge and skills to other African countries where poliovirus outbreaks are reported regularly.

The support and guidance of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the GPLN, who make these collaborations possible, enables the application and expansion of DDNS across Africa for the rapid detection of poliovirus and outbreak response, helping us move closer towards polio eradication."

Dr Alex Shaw, Research Fellow in the School of Public Health at Imperial College London said: This method allows the rapid confirmation of polio strains, facilitating swifter vaccine responses that can reduce the number of polio cases stemming from an outbreak. Development and validation of the method has been the result of fruitful collaboration between a consortium of many partners.

As a consortium we look forward to the training of additional national laboratories in this method, with prior trainees, including members of INRB, now taking on the role of trainers.

The sequencing technology used in this method is easily adapted for the detection and typing of other organisms. This rollout will therefore provide a foundation of skills and experience that can be redirected to the genomic surveillance of other pathogens as needed." Related StoriesCutting-edge research: machine learning identifies early predictors of type 1 diabetesBibliometric analysis reveals research trends connecting Alzheimer's disease and the gut microbiomeResearch uncovers new insights into post-COVID-19 syndrome (PCS) phenotypes and impact on quality of life

Polio is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus, most commonly transmitted through contact with infected feces via contaminated food and water.

While many people may never show symptoms, in extreme cases, especially for babies and children under the age of five, polio can lead to permanent paralysis or death.

The WHO has identified delays in detection as one of the major challenges facing their Polio eradication strategy 2022-2026.

While faster detection methods such as DDNS cannot eradicate polio on their own, they play an essential part in managing outbreaks.

Scientists at the MHRA will continue to support the testing and validation of DDNS as a polio detection technique and training WHO laboratories around the world in how to use it. Source:

GOV.UKJournal reference:

Shaw, A. G., et al. (2023). Sensitive poliovirus detection using nested PCR and nanopore sequencing: a prospective validation study. Nature Microbiology. doi.org/10.1038/s41564-023-01453-4.

UK

Starmer survives rebellion as watered-down welfare cuts pass key vote

Published

3 hours ago

July 2, 2025

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Starmer survives rebellion as watered-down welfare cuts pass key vote

Sir Keir Starmer’s controversial welfare bill has passed its first hurdle in the Commons despite a sizeable rebellion from his MPs.

The prime minister’s watered-down Universal Credit and Personal Independent Payment Bill, aimed at saving £5.5bn, was backed by a majority of 75 on Tuesday evening.

A total of 49 Labour MPs voted against the bill – the largest rebellion since 47 MPs voted against Tony Blair’s Lone Parent benefit in 1997, according to Professor Phil Cowley from Queen Mary University.

Politics latest: Chancellor left in ‘impossible situation’ after PM survives welfare rebellion

After multiple concessions made due to threats of a Labour rebellion, many MPs questioned what they were voting for as the bill had been severely stripped down.

They ended up voting for only one part of the plan: a cut to Universal Credit (UC) sickness benefits for new claimants from £97 a week to £50 from 2026/7.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said the bill voted through “is not expected to deliver any savings over the next four years” because the savings from reducing the Universal Credit health element for new claimants will be roughly offset by the cost of increasing the UC standard allowance.

Just 90 minutes before voting started on Tuesday evening, disabilities minister Stephen Timms announced the last of a series of concessions made as dozens of Labour MPs spoke of their fears for disabled and sick people if the bill was made law.

How did your MP vote on Labour’s welfare bill?

In a major U-turn, he said changes in eligibility for the personal independence payment (PIP), the main disability payment to help pay for extra costs incurred, would not take place until a review he is carrying out into the benefit is published in autumn 2026.

An amendment brought by Labour MP Rachael Maskell, which aimed to prevent the bill progressing to the next stage, was defeated but 44 Labour MPs voted for it.

A Number 10 source told Sky News’ political editor Beth Rigby: “Change isn’t easy, we’ve always known that, we’re determined to deliver on the mandate the country gave us, to make Britain work for hardworking people.

“We accept the will of the house, and want to take colleagues with us, our destination – a social security system that supports the most vulnerable, and enables people to thrive – remains.”

But the Conservative shadow chancellor Mel Stride called the vote “farcical” and said the government “ended up in this terrible situation” because they “rushed it”.

He warned the markets “will have noticed that when it comes to taking tougher decisions about controlling and spending, this government has been found wanting”.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said: “I wish we’d got to this point in a different way. And there are absolutely lessons to learn.

“But I think it’s really important we pass this bill at the second reading, it put some really important reforms to the welfare system – tackling work disincentives, making sure that people with severe conditions would no longer be assessed and alongside our investment in employment support this will help people get back to work, because that’s the brighter future for them.”

She made further concessions on Monday in the hope the rebels’ fears would be allayed, but many were concerned the PIP eligibility was going to be changed at the same time the review was published, meaning its findings would not be taken into account.

Her changes were:

• Current PIP claimants, and any up to November 2026, would have the same eligibility criteria as they do now, instead of the stricter measure proposed

• A consultation into PIP to be “co-produced” with disabled people and published in autumn 2026

• For existing and future Universal Credit (UC) claimants, the combined value of the standard UC allowance and the health top-up will rise “at least in line with inflation” every year for the rest of this parliament

• The UC health top-up, for people with limited ability to work due to a disability or long-term sickness, will get a £300m boost next year – doubling the current amount – then rising to £800m the year after and £1bn in 2028/29.

World

Women’s Euros: Extreme heat warnings in place as tournament kicks off

Published

4 hours ago

July 1, 2025

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Women's Euros: Extreme heat warnings in place as tournament kicks off

The Women’s Euros begin in Switzerland today – with extreme heat warnings in place.

Security measures have had to be relaxed by UEFA for the opening matches so fans can bring in water bottles.

Temperatures could be about 30C (86F) when the Swiss hosts open their campaign against Norway in Basel this evening.

Players have already seen the impact of heatwaves this summer at the men’s Club World Cup in the US.

It is raising new concerns in the global players’ union about whether the stars of the sport are being protected in hot and humid conditions.

FIFPRO has asked FIFA to allow cooling breaks every 15 minutes rather than just in the 30th minute of each half.

There’s also a request for half-time to be extended from 15 to 20 minutes to help lower the core temperature of players.

FIFPRO’s medical director, Dr Vincent Gouttebarge, said: “There are some very challenging weather conditions that we anticipated a couple of weeks ago already, that was already communicated to FIFA.

“And I think the past few weeks were confirmation of all worries that the heat conditions will play a negative role for the performance and the health of the players.”

Football has seemed focused on players and fans baking in the Middle East – but scorching summers in Europe and the US are becoming increasingly problematic for sport.

While climate change is a factor, the issue is not new and at the 1994 World Cup, players were steaming as temperatures rose in the US.

There is now more awareness of the need for mitigation measures among players and their international union.

FIFPRO feels football officials weren’t responsive when it asked for kick-off times to be moved from the fierce afternoon heat in the US for the first 32-team Club World Cup.

FIFA has to balance the needs of fans and broadcasters with welfare, with no desire to load all the matches in the same evening time slots.

Electric storms have also seen six games stopped, including a two-hour pause during a Chelsea game at the weekend.

This is the dress rehearsal for the World Cup next summer, which is mostly in the US.

The use of more indoor, air conditioned stadiums should help.

There is no prospect of moving the World Cup to winter, as Qatar had to do in 2022.

And looking further ahead to this time in 2030, there will be World Cup matches in Spain, Portugal and Morocco. The temperatures this week have been hitting 40C (104F) in some host cities.

FIFA said in a statement to Sky News: “Heat conditions are a serious topic that affect football globally.

“At the FCWC some significant and progressive measures are being taken to protect the players from the heat. For instance, cooling breaks were implemented in 31 out of 54 matches so far.

“Discussions on how to deal with heat conditions need to take place collectively and FIFA stands ready to facilitate this dialogue, including through the Task Force on Player Welfare, and to receive constructive input from all stakeholders on how to further enhance heat management.

“In all of this, the protection of players must be at the centre.”