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WHO emergency listing for GeneXpert test supports Ebola outbreak response

The World Health Organization (WHO) has granted an Emergency Use Listing (EUL) for Cepheid’s Xpert Hemorrhagic Fever Panel test to support the diagnostic response to the Ebola Bundibugyo (BDBV) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The listing enables healthcare providers and public health authorities to leverage Cepheid's rapid molecular testing technology to help identify suspected cases and support timely outbreak containment efforts. The WHO declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in May 2026.

The Xpert Hemorrhagic Fever Panel test detects and identifies nucleic acids of the following viruses: Ebola virus (including Zaire, Sudan, Taï Forest, and Bundibugyo, not differentiated), as well as Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus, Marburg virus, and Lassa virus. The time to result is about one hour. The assay runs on Cepheid's GeneXpert Dx systems (pictured) , which are widely deployed across Africa - an established infrastructure that can support rapid implementation of decentralised testing in affected regions.

"Rapid and accurate diagnostics is one of the most important tools for controlling outbreaks of highly infectious diseases such as Ebola virus," said Connie Savor, Cepheid's Chief Medical Officer. "With an established footprint already serving communities across Central and East Africa, we are well positioned to support healthcare providers and public healthcare authorities with timely access to reliable diagnostic information. This listing reinforces our commitment to partnering with global health organisations to expand access to critical diagnostics where and when they are needed most - and is an example of how we solve the hardest problems together."

For more than a decade, Cepheid has supported global efforts to combat Ebola. During the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak, the Xpert Ebola test received FDA Emergency Use Authorization and was deployed throughout affected regions, helping expand access to rapid molecular testing.

In June 2026, Cepheid donated an initial shipment of Xpert Hemorrhagic Fever tests FDA 510(k) cleared for use by the U.S. Department of Defense and part of DoD's Next Generation Diagnostics System 2 Program to support the response in the DRC.

The WHO EUL enables Cepheid to expand its work with public health partners, laboratories, and healthcare providers to help improve diagnostic access in affected communities.

 

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