1Tutor BRIMS, Dept of Microbiology Bidar, Karnataka
2Consultant Microbiologist & Infection Control Officer at Wockhardt Hospital Meera Road Thane, Maharashtra
3Professor & Hod, dept. of Microbiology, GMC Miraj, Mahara shtra
*Corresponding author: Waghmare Ashwini Saminder Tutor BRIMS, Dept of Microbiology Bidar, Karnataka, Email id: ashwinishivani@gmail.com Mobile: 09663292272
Online published on 4 March, 2017.
To compare Giemsa staining, Field's staining, Acridine orange staining of blood smears and Malarigen test with Leishman staining as gold standard for malaria diagnosis.
A comparative cross-sectional study was done on patients attending the outpatient department at a tertiary care teaching hospital from August 2009 to July 2010 of all age groups presenting with acute febrile illness and clinically suspected of malaria. 2 ml blood sample was collected with all aseptic precautions by venipuncture in EDTA bulb and was immediately subjected to thick and thin films and determination of antigens of malaria parasite by immunochromatographic assay.
Of the 715 subjects, 159 (22.24%) were positive for malaria by Leishman stain, 140 (19.58%) by Giemsa stain, 86 (12.03%) by Field's stain, 144 (20.14%) by Acridine orange, and 143 (20%) by Malarigen test. The sensitivity of Giemsa stain and Acridine orange was 99.28% and 99.30% with respect to Leishman stain. The sensitivity of Field's stain was high (100%) but its specificity was 88.39%. The sensitivity and specificity of Malarigen test was 79.02% and 91.95% respectively with respect to Leishman stain.
Microscopic examination of Leishman stained peripheral blood smear still remains gold standard. Though Malarigen antigen detection test is suitable as outpatient investigation it may not be regarded as only investigation and should be used in conjunction with microscopy to improve malaria diagnosis.
malaria, Leishman stain, Giemsa stain, malarigen test
