title: Diagnosis of malaria parasitemia in children using a rapid diagnostic test.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the diagnostic performance of a new rapid immunochromatographic test named "Paracheck pf" in the diagnosis of malaria in Nigerian children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 380 Nigerian children aged between 6 and 59 months who presented at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Enugu with fever and no obvious focus of any other infection were consecutively recruited. Malaria parasitemia was determined using simple microscopy and "Paracheck pf".
  
  
  RESULTS
  "Paracheck pf" has the following diagnostic performance characteristics: Sensitivity of 82%, specificity of 91.5%, negative predictive value of 91.5%, positive predictive value of 82%, a strong positive correlation between parasite density and test sensitivity, and a detection limit of 397 parasites/μl.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The test is, therefore, recommended for the use in Nigerian children aged between 6 and 59 months in Enugu for the diagnosis of malaria, but negative results should be cautiously interpreted in infants because symptomatic malaria may occur in these children at parasite densities as low as 100/μl.
authors.affiliation: Emel Hospital Festac, Lagos, Nigeria. Titiade26@yahoo.com
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Adesanmi
authors.forename: H U
authors.initials: HU
authors.lastname: Okafor
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Okoro
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Mafe
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity / Q000379:methods*; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods*; D007223:Infant; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic