On January 29 - February 17, 2024, following the invitation of the Research institute of applied biology of Guinea - IRBAG, (Kindia city) to provide assistance in conducting research on diphtheria diagnostics and IRBAG specialists training, the experts from St. Petersburg Pasteur Institute – Dr. Lyudmila Kraeva, head of medical bacteriology laboratory, Dr. Natalia Kurova senior researcher of medical bacteriology laboratory, and Dr. Ekaterina Danilova, head of the Medical Center policlinic department visited the Republic of Guinea.
During the scientific trip, the experts studied the structure of the Research Center for Epidemiology, Microbiology and Medical Care (CREAMS), the laboratory complex; held a working meeting with experts of the Russian Research Anti-Plague Institute “Microbe” and State Scientific Center of Virology and Biotechnology “Vector”; held a meeting at the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene, Guinea; visited the hospital in Kindia.
The working trip program also included on-site lectures and seminars with hospital medical workers from the southern regions of Guinea, sampling for diphtheria from patients with inflammatory processes of the upper respiratory tract, bacteriological and molecular studies of biological material, testing the level of antitoxic anti-diphtheria antibodies (in case of possibility and necessity). 135 studies were carried out (90 bacteriological and 45 by PCR method).
It was noted that the state of clinical and laboratory diagnosis of diphtheria in the Republic of Guinea requires modernization and improvement. One of the possible ways to improve it is educational and methodological assistance (compilation of educational and methodological aids, additional education of local specialists). Taking into account the fact, that diphtheria is a vaccine-preventable infection, large-scale vaccination of not only children, but also adults in Guinea is necessary. Circulation of the diphtheria pathogen among population unprotected from this disease can lead to a significant increase in diphtheria cases. The unfavorable epidemic situation with diphtheria in Mali, Nigeria, and Chad poses a danger to the Republic of Guinea.
