Comparative evaluation of four techniques for the diagnosis of Plasmodium falciparum infections
- 1 May 1997
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
- Vol. 91 (3), 279-282
- https://doi.org/10.1016/s0035-9203(97)90074-2
Abstract
Four diagnostic techniques for Plasmodium falciparum infection were evaluated against serial parasite dilutions and on identical field samples. These were (i) Giemsa-stained thick blood films (GTF), (ii) acridine orange-stained thick (AOTF) and thin (AOTnF) blood films, (iii) the quantitative buffy coat technique (QBC®); and (iv) the ParaSight TM-F dipstick test (PS). PS had a consistently higher sensitivity and speed, was easiest to learn, and required no laboratory facility. The 100% sensitivity cut-off points against known parasite densities (per mm3) were: PS, 30; GTF, 84; QBC®, 84; AOTnF, 84; AOTF, 149. In the field study, test sensitivities compared with examination of 800 microscope fields of a Giemsa-stained thin blood film were PS, 96·6%; AOTF, 93·1%; GTF, 91·4%; QBC®, 89·7%; AOTnF, 82·8%. In the dilution study, one false positive result was recorded with QBC®; in the field study there was one false positive each with PS, AOTnF and AOTF. When a newly trained microscopist examined samples of the parasite dilutions, the 100% sensitivity cut-off points were AOTF, 84; GTF, 140; QBC®, 390. Total handling time was shortest with PS regardless of whether samples were processed individually or in batches of 10 or 100. The ParaSightTM-F test is recommended as the diagnostic tool for the future.Keywords
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