▋The First-of-its-kind Nationwide Triple-Integrated Dengue Fever Treatment Model
The Tropical Medicine Center offers a comprehensive range of services at Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital. It is the nation's sole "Special Outpatient Clinic for Dengue Fever, Zika, and Tropical Diseases," providing exclusive management of outpatient care for severe dengue fever infections and other related illnesses. We also offer outpatient/inpatient services and conduct diagnoses of mosquito-borne diseases. Adjacent to the outpatient clinic, the nation's only "Dengue Fever Gallery" has been set up to enhance public understanding of the transmission pathways, clinical symptoms, treatment, and prevention methods of dengue fever through graphic displays, mosquito specimens, and one-on-one health education consultations with medical professionals.
▋The TMC Laboratory
Since the year 2009, our center has been accredited by the Taiwan CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) for Dengue Fever testing and has also received certification from TAF (Taiwan Accreditation Foundation) ISO15189 Medical Laboratory (for Dengue Virus NS1 Antigen Detection Standard Testing Method, Dengue Virus Nucleic Acid Testing Standard Testing Method, and Anti-Dengue Virus IgM/IgG Detection Standard Testing Method). It remains the only laboratory in the country with dual certification from CDC/TAF for the "three Dengue Fever tests." We have also been assisting the government in Dengue Fever prevention and control efforts and expanding testing capacity.
Our center manages the only BSL-3 laboratory at Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is the only BSL-3 laboratory in the Kaohsiung-Pingtung region to pass the Laboratory Biosafety Site inspection for conducting experimental research on the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) as per the "2020 High-Protection Laboratory Planning for Novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) Experimental Research" by the CECC (Central Epidemic Command Center) from Taiwan government. We can safely culture SARS-CoV-2 in the laboratory and collaborate with other experts to conduct relevant research on the novel coronavirus's isolation, identification, treatment, and prevention.
In recent years, emerging infectious diseases have been prevalent, and the center actively participates in the clinical testing training and accreditation organized by Taiwan CDC for emerging infectious diseases, including Zika virus (passed in August of the year 2015), novel coronavirus SARS-COV-2 (passed in September of the year 2020), Monkeypox virus (Mpox) (passed in October of the year 2022), and other testing projects. All of these have passed proficiency testing. Standard procedures for virus culture of Dengue, Chikungunya, Zika virus, Mpox, and SARS-COV-2 have also been established.
▋Research projects
- Research and Prevention of Emerging Infectious Diseases
- Development of COVID-19 diagnosing methodology
- Isolation, cultivation, and sequencing of the SARS-CoV-2
- Validation of antiviral drugs/materials against COVID-19
- Investigation and research on the immune response after COVID-19 vaccine
- Identification of Mpox by rapid nucleic acid testing and culture
- Dengue Fever Research and Prevention
- Dengue fever diagnostic services (CDC-approved/TAF-certified laboratories)
- Development and optimization of testing methods
- Pathogenesis and epidemiological research
- Assistance in dengue fever prevention and control thru health education and research
- Research and Prevention of Other Mosquito-borne Diseases
- Research on Zika virus testing methodology
- Research on Chikungunya virus testing methodology
- The research on the interplay between Chikungunya fever and rheumatoid arthritis
- International Humanitarian Medical Services in Solomon Islands/India
- Assistance in establishing dengue fever testing laboratories in the Solomon Islands
- Enhancement of local testing capacity and tropical disease knowledge in the Solomon Islands
- Humanitarian Medical missions and health education in India, and solving local public health problems
▋Quality Control and Assurance of TMC Lab.
The center's director is appointed by the hospital president and is responsible for supervising all activities conducted by the center.
The laboratory is certified by TAF and complies with ISO15189 standards.
Meetings are held at least once a month to oversee the progress of the center's plans and the quality of laboratory testing, with meeting minutes recorded.
The laboratory adheres to TAF certification requirements, including personnel, documentation records, equipment and consumables, and examination reports, all of which are subject to quality monitoring indicators and specifications.