Evaluation of malaria screening in newly arrived refugees to the United States by microscopy and rapid antigen capture enzyme assay.
Before an empiric malaria treatment program, >60% of Liberian refugees had malaria on arrival to Minnesota. We compared microscopy with rapid antigen testing for detecting asymptomatic parasitemia. Nine of 103 (8.7%) had malaria by polymerase chain reaction (blood smear and rapid testing had a sensitivity of 22%). The empiric treatment program has decreased the rate of imported asymptomatic malaria. Blood film and rapid antigen testing are poor screening tests.
Stauffer
William M
WM
Division of Infectious Disease and International Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. stauf005@umn.edu
Newberry
Ashley M
AM
Cartwright
Charles P
CP
Rosenblatt
Jon E
JE
Hanson
Kevan L
KL
Sloan
Lynne
L
Tsukayama
Dean T
DT
Taylor
Charlotte
C
Juni
Billie Anne
BA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007223:Infant; D008288:Malaria / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008853:Microscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D012036:Refugees; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014481:United States