Biobanking: Strengthening Uganda’s Rapid Response to COVID-19 and Other Epidemics

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Date
2021Author
Kamulegeya, Rogers
Kateete, David Patrick
Bagaya, Bernard S.
Nasinghe, Emmanuel
Muttamba, Winters
Nsubuga, Gideon
Kigozi, Edgar
Ashaba Katabazi, Fred
Nakwagala, Fred
Kalungi, Sam
Byamugisha, Josaphat
Worodria, William
Magala, Rose
Kirenga, Bruce
Joloba, Moses L.
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Show full item recordAbstract
SARS-CoV-2 is a fatal disease of global public health concern. Measures to reduce its spread
critically depend on timely and accurate diagnosis of virus-infected individuals. Biobanks can have a pivotal role
in elucidating disease etiology, translation, and advancing public health. In this article, we show how a biobank
has been a critical resource in the rapid response to coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) in Uganda.
Materials and Methods: The Integrated Biorepository of H3Africa Uganda established a COVID-19 biobank.
Standard Operating Procedures for sample and data collection, sample processing, and storage were developed.
An e-questionnaire data tool was used to collect sociodemographic factors. Samples were collected at 7-day
intervals from patients, analyzed for key parameters, processed, annotated, characterized, and stored at appropriate
temperatures.
Results: Stored samples have been used in validation of 17 diagnostic kits, the Cepheid Xpert Xpress SARSCoV-
2 assay, as well as a sample pooling technique for mass screening and polymerase chain reaction assay
validation. Kits that passed validation were deployed for mass screening boosting early detection, isolation, and
treatment of COVID-19 cases. Also, 10 applications from researchers and biotech companies have been
received and approved and 4 grants have been awarded
Conclusion: The CoV-Bank has proven to be an invaluable resource in the fight against the COVID-19
pandemic in Uganda, as samples have been resources in the validation and development of COVID-19 diagnostic
tools, which are important in tracing and isolation of infected cases to confront, delay, and stop the spread
of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
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- Medical and Health Sciences [3718]