CRYPTOT&T CONSORTIUM KICK-OFF MEETING

The CryptoT&T project officially launched with a site visit to Meshualekia Health Center in Addis Ababa, where the research team assessed diagnostic capacity for cryptosporidiosis using LED-AP microscopy. The visit was followed by an opening meeting featuring key stakeholders from Ethiopia, Mozambique, and Norway, highlighting the project’s goals, collaborative spirit, and the urgent need for improved diagnostics and treatment of childhood diarrhea.

Day one

The meeting was preceded by a site visit at Meshualekia Health Center in Addis Ababa.

Photo: AHRI

The visit was conducted in the morning session to assess the health center’s capacity in diagnosing cryptosporidiosis using LED-AP and the management of diarrhea. The team first visited the tuberculosis laboratory and observed the availability of functional LED microscopy and its reagents. The laboratory head informed the team that they use the LED microscopy for follow-up purposes only, rather than using it for primary diagnosis of tuberculosis. The research team visited the laboratory unit of the health center.

The research team visited the laboratory unit of the health center. Photo: AHRI

The laboratory head also added 0.1% methylene blue, used as a counterstain instead of potassium permanganate. The laboratory experts from the partner institute had demonstrated and checked the functionality of the LED microscope using a Cryptosporidium oocyst-positive slide. Additionally, the team also checked the material used for the staining procedure and ensured that the necessary equipment and standard operating procedures were in place. The research team also visited the outpatient diagnostics and looked at the health center’s patient pathways in the management and diagnosis of childhood diarrhea, including its supply and referral systems.

After lunch, the meeting began with speeches from Prof Afework Kassu, Director General of AHRI, and the Deputy Director General of AHRI, Dr Alemsged, who is also a co-investigator in the project. Prof Afework emphasized the need for collaboration to solve public health challenges, and also the role played by the University of Bergen (UiB) in the initial establishment of AHRI and UiB is now a coordinator in this project. Dr Alemseged then highlighted the evidence generated by the Crypto-POC study and how it led to CryptoT&T.

Dr Mariamawit Asfaw, Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Service Lead Executive Officer, at the Ministry of Health, Ethiopia. Photo: AHRI

The meeting was officially opened by Dr Mariamawit Asfaw. She highlighted the strides Ethiopia has made in reducing maternal and child mortality and the work that remains to be done in order to achieve the SDGs. She emphasized the important role of Cryptosporidium as a cause of diarrhea and the impact of diarrhea in children. She expressed strong support for the CryptoT&T project from the MOH Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health Service Lead Executive Office.

Dr Abel Abera, scientific lead of the project. Photo: AHRI

This was followed by a presentation by Dr Abel Abera. His presentation highlighted the importance of Cryptosporidium as a cause of childhood diarrhea and its role, especially in causing growth faltering and malnutrition. He indicated that the project aims to assess the clinical effectiveness of LED-AP testing, in conjunction with access to targeted drug treatment, in reducing the duration of cryptosporidiosis-induced diarrhea. This includes evaluation of diagnostic accuracy, operational issues, cost-effectiveness, and test turnaround times in a realistic setting in Ethiopia and Mozambique.

Effective POC diagnostics and treatment are expected to alleviate cryptosporidiosis-induced diarrhea and reduce long-term complications. Prof Kurt Hanevik, coordinator of the project, also highlighted the collective effort by the CryptoT&T team, who were able to write an excellent proposal that was selected by the EU-EDCTP3 for funding.

There were also presentations by Dr Inacio Mandomando, CSIM, Mozambique, on the role of Cryptosporidium in causing diarrhea. Dr Mandomando also shared his experience from the GEMS study. This was followed by a presentation by Dr Øystein H Johansen, Consultant Microbiologist at the Southern Health and Social Care Trust, Northern Ireland. He highlighted his experiences from the CRYPTO-POC study that took place in Jimma, South-Western Ethiopia, and also guided participants through a practical demonstration of LED-AP.

During this first day of the meeting, the participants in the meeting included co-investigators from Mozambique, Simbona PLC, and stakeholders from the Ministry of Health, Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa Health Bureau, Addis Ababa University School of Medicine, WHO Ethiopia, Ethiopian Pediatrics Association.

Day 2

consortium members around a table. Photo: AHRI

The consortium members introduced themselves and their contributions to the project (Mozambique, Ethiopia, and UiB). A status report was presented by each work package lead from each working group on clinical trial, data management, and dissemination. Thereafter, various topics relevant to work packages were discussed.

In the afternoon, group discussions were held in working groups on:

Group 1: Sample collection and storage strategies

Group 2: Dissemination plan

Group 3: Data management plan

Day 3

WP1 & 2 management and reporting were presented by Abela Abera and Kurt Hanevik. A publication guideline draft and risk mitigation report were presented. In the latter part of the meeting digital meeting with the Scientific Advisory Board was conducted.