TITLE:
Comparison of Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test Kit and Microscopy
AUTHORS:
Oluwakemi Bukola Runmonkun, Omotayo Oluranti Ebong, Udeme Owunari Georgewill
KEYWORDS:
Microscopy, Rapid Diagnostic Test, Malaria, Malaria Diagnosis
JOURNAL NAME:
Pharmacology & Pharmacy,
Vol.10 No.3,
March
19,
2019
ABSTRACT: Malaria is the most common single diagnosis made in
many countries in Africa. Microscopy is the gold standard for laboratory
diagnosis of malaria parasite, but it requires adequate training and the time
to get results is longer than that for Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs). Use of
RDTs is an alternative diagnostic method. This method is quick and easy to
carry out. This study examined 412 blood samples of patients who met the study
inclusion criteria from the health centres. All of the samples obtained were tested
by SD Bioline malaria Ag P.f test commonly
available in Nigeria and parasite count was done from thick film prepared. The
results obtained were presented as a proportion positive in comparison to the
total number of participants enrolled. Of the 412 enrollees, 284 were tested positive with malaria using the RDT, 400 were tested positive with microscopy and 12 were negative using microscopy and
RDT. This study confirms the superior sensitivity of microscopy to RDTs in
diagnosis of malaria. Although RDTs are very useful for quick diagnosis of
malaria, particularly in areas where access to the use of microscopy is not
available, the possibility of a low performance by RDTs in malaria diagnosis
should be emphasized on health practitioners
and microcopy should be encouraged as much as possible.