Methods used in the diagnosis of malaria: where do we stand?

Abstract

In developing nations, limited resources lead to inadequate malaria diagnosis. In wealthy countries, poor familiarity with malaria may lead to clinical and laboratory misdiagnosis. Giemsa thick and thin blood films remain the current standard for diagnosis. Although it has good sensitivity and allows species identification and parasite counts, it is time consuming, requires microscopic expertise and maintenance of equipment. Microscopy with fluorescent stains (QBC), dipstick antigen detection of HRP2 and pLDH (Parasight-F, ICT Malaria Pf, OptiMAL), polymerase chain reaction assays and some automated blood cell analyzers offer new approaches and are reviewed here, with emphasis on clinical relevance and the potential to complement conventional microscopy.