[Evaluation of the thick smear in a field condition in a malaria endemic area in the Middle Region of Rio Negro, Amazon].
In order to assess the reliability of the thick smear in a Plasmodium infection area, 322 thick smears were examined by a trained microscopist in field conditions. Later, the same smears were examined by an experience microscopist in ideal laboratory conditions. Reliability was measured by the Kappa index. In symptomatic malaria patients the Kappa index was 0.91 (IC 95% 0.57-0.98 p<0.05) while in asymptomatic Plasmodium infection the Kappa index was as low as 0.42 (IC 95% 0.15-0.68 p<0.05). In areas of asymptomatic infection, improvement in the sensibility of thick smears by increasing the number of microscopic fields read or using other more accurate diagnostic malaria techniques alone or in combination is fundamental.
Suárez-Mutis
Martha Cecilia
MC
Departamento de Medicina Tropical do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz da Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ.
Coura
José Rodrigues
JR
D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016780:Malaria, Vivax / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015588:Observer Variation; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic