Optimized strategy for real-time qPCR detection of Onchocerca volvulus DNA in pooled Simulium sp. blackfly vectors.

"a linear regression line was calculated and the slope of that line was used to calculate the assay efficiency using the formula [ ] ( s1 data ): e = - 1 + 10 ( - 1 s l o p e ) the cost of the ovnd5 qpcr assay and the o150 pcr-elisa assay were estimated based on the inclusion of reagent/supply and labor costs.; with standardized approaches and stable reagents available the network of laboratories supporting molecular xenomonitoring efforts for onchocerciasis can be enlarged providing governments and agencies responsible for elimination programs with the reliable data needed to aid in stop-treatment decision-making and post-mda surveillance s1 methods (pdf) click here for additional data file s2 methods (pdf) click here for additional data file s1 table (pdf) click here for additional data file s2 table (pdf) click here for additional data file s3 table (pdf) click here for additional data file s1 data (xlsx) click here for additional data file. file s3 table (pdf) click here for additional data file s1 data (xlsx"

"The authors have declared that no competing interests exist."

"This work received financial support from the Coalition for Operational Research on Neglected Tropical Diseases, which is funded at The Task Force for Global Health primarily by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and by the United States Agency for International Development through its Neglected Tropical Diseases Program. SAW received funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Subaward S019.1G. AH and KP received funding from the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF, TI 03.907 and TTU 03.815). HKH and TU received funding from the Task Force for Global Health, subcontract #NTD-SC-#S054U. SL received funding from the New York Blood Center intramural funds. SW is the Senior Fellow Plus of the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership: TMA2019SFP-2814 Senior Fellowships Plus - 2019 – EDCTP. The work at Washington University School of Medicine was supported by a grant of the Barnes Jewish Hospital Foundation. This work was supported in part by the Division of Intramural Research (DIR) of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. MD and JG received salary funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. https://www.cor-ntd.org/ https://www.gatesfoundation.org/ https://www.dzif.de/en https://www.taskforce.org/ https://www.nybc.org/ https://www.foundationbarnesjewish.org/ https://www.niaid.nih.gov/about/dir."