Performance of the OptiMAL malaria antigen capture dipstick for malaria diagnosis and treatment monitoring at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, London.
We report here the sensitivity and specificity of OptiMAL for the diagnosis of acute malaria in patients presenting to the Hospital for Tropical Diseases (HTD), a tertiary referral centre for Tropical and Infectious diseases. A sensitivity of 95.3% and a specificity of 100% for Plasmodium falciparum and a sensitivity of 96% and a specificity of 100% for Plasmodium vivax was obtained. The ability to follow the course of the parasitaemia using OptiMAL during treatment and its significance for use in areas where expert microscopy is not available is discussed.
Department of Clinical Parasitology, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, London, UK.
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A
Moody
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Hunt-Cooke
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Gabbett
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P
Chiodini
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D016780:Malaria, Vivax / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000276:immunology; D010966:Plasmodium vivax / Q000276:immunology; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic