Comparative Evaluation of Available Immune-Chromatographic Tests Used for Detection of Plasmodium Species, A Tertiary Care Hospital Experience

Objective: To test the sensitivity of locally available strips for the detection of Plasmodium Vivax and Plasmodium Falciparum species at a tertiary care hospital. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Armed Forces Institute of Transfusion, Rawalpindi Pakistan, done over one week during Nov 2021. Methodology: Four different commercially available brands of Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests were taken. They were tested against venous blood sample taken from only one patient who had lab detected Malaria. Light microscopy showed trophozoites of both Plasmodium Vivax and Falciparum. Nine serial dilutions of different strengths were made from blood sample. These dilutions were tested against commercially available four different Rapid Diagnostic Tests strips. Results: Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests kits from all the four brands which were commercially available showed positive results for Plasmodium vivax up to 1:512 dilutions. However, only one brand Rapid Diagnostic Tests kits showed positive results with Plasmodium falciparum in 1:2 dilutions, in addition to Plasmodium vivax. Conclusion: The commercially available Rapid Diagnostic Tests Immunochromatographic Technique have high sensitivity in diagnosing Malaria, but are not resolute when it comes to speciation, particularly for Plasmodium falciparum.