[Tricks and misuses of rapid diagnostic testing for malaria diagnosis]

Abstract

Molecular biology or immunochromatographic tests are conventionally offered as aids in the routine diagnosis of malaria. However, the interpretation of their results requires a precise knowledge of their limits, both by the biologist and the physician. It is in particular conditioned by thorough interview of the patient in order to seek a history of recent or even older malaria disease. We discuss herein the different usages and how to interpret such diagnostics, through a concrete example of a malaria case which was particularly tough to investigate.

Keywords: LAMP; PCR; malaria; rapid diagnostic test.