Molecular Panel Gains WHO Emergency Use Listing to Support Ebola Outbreak Response

The ongoing Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring countries has become one of the largest outbreaks of this Ebola virus species recorded to date. Because many acute febrile illnesses can present with similar symptoms, rapid differential testing is important for identifying suspected cases, guiding patient management, supporting contact tracing, and helping limit transmission.

The BIOFIRE Global Fever Special Pathogens Panel has received Emergency Use Listing (EUL) from the World Health Organization (WHO) to support the current Ebola response. Manufactured by BioFire Defense, a bioMérieux company, the panel detects 16 pathogens from a single whole blood sample in approximately one hour. Targets include multiple Ebola viruses, malaria parasites, Marburg virus, West Nile virus, Lassa virus, and Bundibugyo ebolavirus.

The WHO listing provides an international reference and an accelerated pathway for health authorities, international organizations, and procurement partners to consider the panel for outbreak response and future preparedness. The panel is also cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for response to the current outbreak.

Since the start of the outbreak, bioMérieux has worked with ministries of health, public health agencies, and local partners to assess diagnostic needs, strengthen laboratory capacity, and support deployment of testing resources across affected regions. The company has expanded manufacturing capacity, accelerated delivery of instruments and assays, and provided training and on-site support for laboratory professionals.

Instruments and reagents have been supplied to the Rwanda Biomedical Centre and Uganda National Health Laboratory Services. Additional systems and tests are also being deployed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in collaboration with the National Institute for Biomedical Research and national health authorities.

“The WHO Emergency Use Listing is an important milestone for public health preparedness and outbreak response. When an outbreak occurs, early and accurate diagnosis can make the difference between isolated cases and wider transmission. Expanding access to timely differential diagnostics helps healthcare professionals act more quickly, allocate resources more effectively and better protect communities,” said Dr. Charles K. Cooper, Executive Vice President, Chief Medical Officer, bioMérieux.