1Post Graduate Department of Microbiology, MediCiti Institute of Medical Sciences, Medchal
2Assistant Professor Department of Microbiology, MediCiti Institute of Medical Sciences, Medchal
3Professor and Head of the Department Department of Microbiology, MediCiti Institute of Medical Sciences, Medchal
*Corresponding author: Dr. Kiranmai S Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, MediCiti Institute of Medical Sciences, Ghanpur, Medchal Mandal, Medchal Dist, Hyderabad, Telangana-501401, Mobile: 07032244968; Email: dr.ashitasingh@gmail.com
Online published on 16 March, 2018.
Rapid detection and effective treatment of malaria is a prerequisite in reducing the morbidity and mortality due to the disease. The Rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) have opened a new and exciting avenue in rapid malaria diagnosis.
To compare the effectiveness of Rapid Diagnostic Test to Microscopic examination in diagnosis of malaria.
The present study was conducted at MediCiti Institute of Medical Sciences, Medchal from July 2015 to June 2016. Blood samples were collected from 986 clinically suspected malarial cases and subjected to both blood smear microscopy and a rapid diagnostic test (ADVANTAGE MAL CARD) for detection of malaria parasites and antigens, respectively.
Out of the 986 fever cases included in the study, 36 (3.64%) tested positive for malaria by Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) whereas 31 (3.14%) tested positive by Microscopy. Sensitivity for the rapid diagnostic test for malaria was 100% and Specificity was 99.5%.
This study shows that the rapid diagnostic test kit has comparable level of accuracy with microscopy and hence can be used in rapid screening of malaria. RDTs can be useful in areas where specialized laboratories or even microscopy are unavailable and when urgent malaria diagnosis is needed by a practitioner without the delay associated with the laboratory.
Malaria, diagnosis, microscopy, rapid diagnostic test, parasite lactate dehydrogenase(pLDH)
