title: Field evaluation of a polymerase chain reaction-based nonisotopic liquid hybridization assay for malaria diagnosis.
abstract: In a blind field evaluation of a nonisotopic liquid hybridization assay for detection of malaria parasites, 100 blood samples were tested from an area in which malaria is endemic; light microscopy was used as the reference test. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the hybridization assay were 100%. One sample that was microscopy-negative and hybridization-positive was positive when reexamined. Another sample that was microscopy-positive and hybridization-negative was negative at reexamination. The detection limit of the test was > or = 0.0005% parasitemia. Four samples with mixed infections were misdiagnosed by microscopy as single-species infections. Four samples diagnosed as mixed infections by microscopy and single infection by the hybridization test had no evidence of a second Plasmodium species upon reexamination. The polymerase chain-reaction-based nonisotopic liquid hybridization assay was better than conventional light microscopy in detecting low-grade parasite infection and offers an exceptional advantage for detecting mixed infections.
authors.affiliation: Division of Parasitic Diseases (National Center for Infectious Diseases), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, USA.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Y P
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Oloo
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Boriga
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Nahlen
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Hawley
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Holloway
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Lal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000469:parasitology; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan