The development of an artificial intelligence-based digital pathology for neglected tropical diseases: A platform specific analysis of the World Health Organization diagnostic target product profile for soil-transmitted helminthiasis

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently published target product profiles (TPPs) for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) to inform and accelerate the development of diagnostics tools necessary achieve targets in decade ahead. These TPPs describe minimal ideal requirements various diagnostic needs related NTD specific use-cases. An early step towards manufacture implementation new is critically review translate these into an initial design ultimately user requirement specifications (URS). Artificial intelligence-based digital pathology (AI-DP) may overcome critical shortcomings current standards most NTDs reliant on microscopy, such as poor reproducibility error-prone manual read-out. Furthermore, a digitalised workflow can create opportunities reduce operational costs via increased throughput automated data capture, analysis, reporting. Despite promising benefits, with consideration AI-DP solution lacking. We present systematic analysis one WHO aim URS NTDs. As case study we focused monitoring evaluation (M&E) programs designed control soil-transmitted helminths (STHs). To this end, start by outlining brief overview STHs, after which systematically analyse TPPs, highlighting technical considerations meet TPP. Finally, further reflect feasibility informing STH 2030 due time.