Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35405388›Full record

ArticleEBioMedicine2022

Lab-in-a-van: Rapid SARS-CoV-2 testing response with a mobile laboratory.

Susan A Ballard, Maryza Graham, Debra David, Tuyet Hoang, Angela Donald, Michelle Sait, Nicole Isles, Amelia Matlock, Sarah Yallop, Mark Bek and 2 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in EBioMedicine, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
1.4field-weighted citation impact, top 18% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 14 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Susan A BallardMicrobiological Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, 792 Elizabeth St, Melbourne 3000, Australia. Electronic address: susan.ballard@unimelb.edu.au.
Maryza GrahamMicrobiological Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, 792 Elizabeth St, Melbourne 3000, Australia; Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Monash Health, 246 Clayton Rd, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia.
Debra DavidMicrobiological Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, 792 Elizabeth St, Melbourne 3000, Australia.
Tuyet HoangMicrobiological Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, 792 Elizabeth St, Melbourne 3000, Australia.
Angela DonaldMicrobiological Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, 792 Elizabeth St, Melbourne 3000, Australia.
Michelle SaitMicrobiological Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, 792 Elizabeth St, Melbourne 3000, Australia.
Nicole IslesMicrobiological Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, 792 Elizabeth St, Melbourne 3000, Australia.
Amelia MatlockDepartment of Health, State Government of Victoria, Australia.
Sarah YallopDepartment of Health, State Government of Victoria, Australia.
Mark BekMicrobiological Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, 792 Elizabeth St, Melbourne 3000, Australia.
Benjamin P HowdenMicrobiological Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, 792 Elizabeth St, Melbourne 3000, Australia; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, 792 Elizabeth St, Melbourne 3000, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, Austin Hospital, 145 Studley Rd, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia.
Timothy P StinearDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, 792 Elizabeth St, Melbourne 3000, Australia.
Peter Doherty Institute · AUGovernment of Victoria · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHigh testing rates and rapid contact tracing have been key interventions to control COVID-19 in Victoria, Australia. A mobile laboratory (LabVan), for rapid SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics, was deployed at sites deemed critical by the Victorian State Department of Health as part of the response. We describe the process of design, implementation, and performance benchmarked against a central reference laboratory.

methodsA BSL2 compliant laboratory, complete with a class II biological safety cabinet, was built within a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Panel Van. Swabs were collected by on-site collection teams, registered using mobile internet-enabled tablets and tested using the Xpert® Xpress SARS-CoV-2 assay. Results were reported remotely via HL7 messaging to Public Health Units. Patients with negative results were automatically notified by mobile telephone text messaging (SMS).

findingsA pilot trial of the LabVan identified a median turnaround time (TAT) from collection to reporting of 1:19 h:mm (IQR 0:18, Range 1:03-18:32) compared to 9:40 h:mm (IQR 8:46, Range 6:51-19:30) for standard processing within the central laboratory. During deployment in nine rural and urban COVID-19 outbreaks the median TAT was 2:18 h:mm (IQR 1:18, Range 0:50-16:52) compared to 19:08 h:mm (IQR 5:49, Range 1:36-58:52) for samples submitted to the central laboratory. No quality control issues were identified in the LabVan.

interpretationThe LabVan is an ISO15189 compliant testing facility fully operationalized for mobile point-of-care testing that significantly reduces TAT for result reporting, facilitating rapid public health actions.

fundingThis work was supported by the Department of Health, Victoria State Government, Australia.

Indexed as

COVID-19SARS-CoV-2AustraliaCOVID-19 TestingHumansPoint-of-Care TestingSensitivity and SpecificityMobile testingPoint-of-careRapid testingReal-time PCRSARS-CoV-2Turnaround-time

Identifiers

PMID35405388
PMCPMC8989475
OpenAlexW4223473112

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.