As emerging infectious diseases continue to pose global public health challenges, the need for innovative diagnostic tools has become increasingly important. At an institutional seminar held at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) Conference Hall on June 16, 2026, Dr. Rakiiya Sikatarii Sarii, a Research Fellow in the Department of Animal Experimentation, presented research on a novel diagnostic platform designed to enhance the detection and surveillance of hantaviruses and other emerging pathogens.

Drawing on findings from his doctoral research at Hokkaido University in Japan, Dr. Sarii highlighted the growing threat posed by emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases and the critical role of effective diagnostic tools in strengthening disease surveillance. Although his presentation focused on hantaviruses, he noted that the diagnostic platform has also been applied to other pathogens, including Lassa virus, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Hantaviruses are zoonotic pathogens that can cause severe illness in humans and are recognized as important public health threats in parts of Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Despite their significance, research on these viruses remains limited in many parts of Africa, underscoring the need for improved surveillance and diagnostic capabilities.

Dr. Sarii explained that the platform combines molecular biology, protein expression, immunological assays, and antibody development techniques to enable the efficient screening of large numbers of samples for multiple viral antigens. This approach significantly improves the speed and efficiency of pathogen detection and has the potential to support large-scale surveillance efforts.

Using samples collected from bats in Zambia and human samples from Zambia and Sri Lanka, Dr. Sari demonstrated the platform’s ability to detect antibodies to hantaviruses and related pathogens. The findings suggested the possibility of zoonotic spillover events, in which viruses circulating in animal populations may infect humans, underscoring the importance of continued surveillance and research into emerging infectious diseases.

A key advantage of the platform is its ability to rapidly identify potentially positive samples from large datasets before further testing is conducted to determine the specific pathogen involved. According to Dr. Sarii, this not only improves efficiency but also makes large-scale surveillance studies more feasible, particularly in resource-limited settings.

The presentation generated considerable interest among participants, who engaged Dr. Sarii in discussions on the feasibility of implementing the platform within the Ghanaian context. Questions focused on the scalability of the technology, production costs, and the potential for local development and commercialization. In response, Dr. Sarii noted that although further validation and standardization are required before commercialization, much of the infrastructure needed to produce the platform already exists within local research institutions.