Randomized trial estimates misidentification of malaria species in Ethiopia, suggesting need for improved diagnostics.
Key Points
This study aims to estimate the prevalence of Plasmodium malariae and Plasmodium ovale infections misdiagnosed as P. vivax in Ethiopia.
Cross-sectional study conducted in health facilities in southwestern Ethiopia from September 2019 to July 2022.
Participants included febrile patients positive for P. vivax by microscopy or rapid diagnostic test, with re-evaluation of samples using quantitative PCR.
Species-specific primers were used to confirm infections of P. vivax, P. falciparum, P. malariae, and P. ovale.
Out of 245 tested samples, qPCR confirmed 215 (87.7%, 95% CI 82.98–91.58) as positive for P. vivax.
Only 8 (3.3%, 95% CI 1.42–6.33) tested positive for P. malariae and 6 (2.4%, 95% CI 0.90–5.25) for P. ovale.
14 of 162 RDT sub-samples (8.6%) were negative when re-evaluated.