Original Research Article
Year: 2017 | Month: June | Volume: 7 | Issue: 6 | Pages: 90-93
Comparative Evaluation of Microscopic and Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) For Diagnosis of Malaria in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Bathinda
Jaswinder Sharma1, Surinder Singh1, Amandeep Kaur1, Satnam Singh2
1Department of Microbiology, Adesh Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Bathinda
2Department of Pharmacology, Adesh Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Bathinda
Corresponding Author: Jaswinder Sharma
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The commonly employed method for diagnosis of malaria involves the microscopic examination of Romanowsky stained blood films. In recent years, numerous rapid techniques like acridine orange (AO) stain, quantitative buffy coat (QBC) and Rapid diagnostic tests (RDT’s) have been developed for diagnosis of malaria.
Aim & Objective: To conduct a comparative study of the commonly employed diagnostic techniques in diagnosis of malaria, i.e., microscopy of thin smear and antigen detection.
Materials & Methods: A total of 553 whole blood samples were examined by preparing thin smear blood films and staining with Leishman stain. All the blood samples were also subjected to rapid diagnostic test (RDT) for detection of antigen. Results of both leishman stained smears and RDT were compared.
Results: Out of 553 blood samples processed, 62 (11.21%) samples were microscopy positive for malarial parasite and 59 (10.60%) were RDT positive for malaria antigen. 60(96.77%) out of 62 samples; positive by microscopy were positive for P. vivax and only 2 (3.22%) were positive for P. falciparum. 57(96.61%) out of 59 samples positive by RDT were positive for P. vivax and only 2 (3.38%) were positive for P. falciparum.
Conclusion: RDTs are rapid, do not require expertise and are useful in routine diagnosis. The sensitivity of antigen detection test is lower (97.4%), specificity 100% when compared to microscopy. Microscopy is simple, economical, sensitive and specific, hence still remains the gold standard method for malaria diagnosis.
Key words: Microscopy, Rapid diagnostic test, positivity