Evaluation of OptiMAL Assay test to detect imported malaria in Italy.
This study evaluated a newly developed rapid malaria diagnostic test, OptiMAL Assay, to detect "Plasmodium falciparum malaria" and "non Plasmodium falciparum malaria" in blood samples from 139 individuals with a presumptive clinical diagnosis of imported malaria in Italy. OptiMAL Assay utilizes a dipstick coated with monoclonal antibodies against the intracellular metabolic enzyme, plasmodium Lactate Dehydrogenase (pLDH) present in and released from parasite-infected erythrocytes. Blood samples from 56 cases out of 139 were found "Plasmodium falciparum malaria" positive by microscopy; with these samples OptiMAL Assay and the ParaSight-F test, which is a kit detecting the P. falciparum histidin-rich protein 2 (HRP-2), showed an overall sensitivity of 83% and 94%, respectively, in comparison with microscopy. Parasitemia levels tested in the 56 P. falciparum positive blood samples by microscopy ranged from <0.004% to 20%. A correlation between sensitivity and parasitemia was evident and OptiMAL Assay and ParaSight-F test were more sensitive (96-100%; 100%) with samples with 0.1%-20% levels of parasitemia, while proved less sensitive (0-44%; 50-88%) with <0.004-0.01% levels of parasitemia.
Ricci
L
L
Laboratorio di Microbiologia, Arcispedale S. Maria Nuova, Centrale Operativa, Reggio Emilia, Italia.
Viani
I
I
Piccolo
G
G
Fabio
A
A
Calderaro
A
A
Galati
L
L
Perandin
F
F
Vecchia
L
L
Manca
N
N
Dettori
G
G
Turano
A
A
Chezzi
C
C
D005189:False Positive Reactions; D007558:Italy; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood*; D008288:Malaria / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000453:epidemiology; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000453:epidemiology; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D014195:Travel
D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase