Comparison of Peripheral Blood Films Stained By Giemsa Stain, Rapid Diagnostic Tests for Antigen and Antibody for Detection of Plasmodium Vivax and Plasmodium Falciparum in Clinically Suspected Cases of Malaria

Abstract

Malaria is a disease of human which causes high morbidity and mortality. Malaria is one of the major public health challenges and syndromic approach is unreliable because of non-specific and overlapping symptoms with other febrile diseases. Various diagnostic techniques available include: Peripheral blood film examination, rapid diagnostic tests for antigen and one step pf/pv antibody detection. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in Department of Microbiology, Dhiraj General Hospital, Dist., Vadodara. The blood samples collected from 100 clinically suspected cases of malaria were stained by Giemsa staining, tested by Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) for antigen as well as one step pf/pv antibody detection test as per standard procedures. Results: In the present study, out of total 100 cases tested, 66%, 63% and 58% were positive by Giemsa stain, RDT for antigen and antibody respectively. Conclusion: Thus on comparing all the three methods for diagnosis of malaria, PSMP by Giemsa staining, which is the gold standard, still remains the best method as it demonstrates the direct evidence but it needs expertise whereas rapid diagnostic tests for antigen detection gives quite similar results and is also accurate, saves time, can be used in fields and does not need expertise to interpret the results for P. vivax and P. falciparum separately. While using only malarial antibody test a number of acute malaria will be missed. Malarial antibody test is useful for seroepidemiological surveys and gives information regarding exposure to malaria but does not differentiate between present and past infection and thus should not be used as a single test for diagnosis of acute malaria.