Infectious diseases significantly impact the health status of developing countries. Historically, infectious diseases of the tropics especially have received insufficient attention in worldwide public health initiatives, resulting in poor preventive and treatment options. Many molecular tests for human infections have been established since the 1980s, when polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing was introduced. In spite of the substantial innovative advancements in PCR technology, which currently has found wide application in most viral pathogens of global concern, the development and application of molecular diagnostics, particularly in resource-limited settings, poses potential constraints. This review accessed data from sources including PubMed, Google Scholar, the Web of Knowledge, as well as reports from the World Health Organization’s Annual Meeting on infectious diseases and examined these for current molecular approaches used to identify, monitor, or investigate some neglected tropical infectious diseases. This review noted some growth efforts in the development of molecular techniques for diagnosis of pathogens that appear to be common in resource limited settings and identified gaps in the availability and applicability of most of these molecular diagnostics, which need to be addressed if the One Health goal is to be achieved.

Malaria continues to pose a health challenge globally, and its elimination has remained a major topic of public health discussions. A key factor in eliminating malaria is the early and accurate detection of the parasite, especially in asymptomatic individuals, and so the importance of enhanced diagnostic methods cannot be overemphasized. This paper reviewed the advances in malaria diagnostic tools and detection methods over recent years. The use of these advanced diagnostics in lower and lower-middle-income countries as compared to advanced economies has been highlighted. Scientific databases such as Google Scholar, PUBMED, and Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), among others, were reviewed. The findings suggest important advancements in malaria detection, ranging from the use of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) and molecular-based technologies to advanced non-invasive detection methods and computerized technologies. Molecular tests, RDTs, and computerized tests were also seen to be in use in resource-limited settings. In all, only twenty-one out of a total of eighty (26%) low and lower-middle-income countries showed evidence of the use of modern malaria diagnostic methods. It is imperative for governments and other agencies to direct efforts toward malaria research to upscale progress towards malaria elimination globally, especially in endemic regions, which usually happen to be resource-limited regions.

Background: Africa seemed to have had low SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. While several studies reported high SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity among healthy Africans, others hypothesized that this could have resulted from pre-existing cross-reactive antibodies. Our study tracks trends in seropositivity across three West African countries during the Delta and Omicron pandemic waves using a validated test kit with 98.9% predictive accuracy, 97% sensitivity, and 99% specificity.Methods: Cross-sectional studies were conducted across three West African countries (Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Nigeria) with study sites conveniently selected in each country. Using the validated immunoassay kits, with already published validation procedures, SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were detected in peripheral blood during the ‘Delta’ and ‘Omicron’ waves. Participants' demographic and clinical data were obtained using a semi-structured questionnaire, and the primary outcome was the proportion of each population with SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.Findings: Across the 3 countries, 20,748 participants were recruited, and the results showed SARS-CoV-2 IgG seropositivity ranging between 24.1% to 77.0%, which increased during the Omicron wave. All sites showed low self-reported vaccination rates, delinking seropositivity and vaccination. While there was a significant positive association between seropositivity and age across all sites, the association with other demographic factors was country-dependent, and most participants expressed positive opinions of vaccination.Interpretation: This is one of the largest population-based SARS-CoV-2 seroepidemiology studies in Africa, confirming widespread mild SARS-CoV-2 infection in West Africa. This confirms a marked disconnect between high population exposure and low reported clinical burden, underscoring the need for strengthened community surveillance.