The recent evolution of diagnostic technologies has added a new dimension to malaria control efforts. The recent evolution of diagnostic technologies has added a new dimension to malaria control efforts. The most widely used diagnostic approach for malaria is clinical diagnosis. It is unreliable because the symptoms of malaria are non-specific and overlap with other febrile diseases, while technical and logistic requirements make microscopic confirmation difficult at the peripheral level.
Thus, the introduction of rapid diagnostic tests for malaria is of considerable interest. Rapid immunochromatographic dipstick tests have been developed that detect parasite antigens from a fingerprick blood sample. These tests are simple to use, require minimal training, and show reasonable sensitivity and specificity.
Before malaria RDTs can be widely adopted, several issues remain to be addressed, including improving their accuracy, lowering their cost, and ensuring their adequate performance under adverse field conditions.
Before malaria RDTs can be widely adopted, several issues remain to be addressed, including improving their accuracy, lowering their cost, and ensuring their adequate performance under adverse field conditions.
Diagram shows component of Rapid Malaria Test and examples of its result
Laboratory diagnosis of malaria can be made through microscopic examination of thick blood smears than thin blood smears. Thick blood smears are more sensitive in detecting malaria parasites because the blood is more concentrated allowing for a greater volume of blood to be examined.
In addition, improved PCR techniques could prove useful for conducting molecular epidemiological investigations of malaria clusters or epidemics.
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