Immunochromatographic Techniques: Benefits for the Diagnosis of Parasitic Infections

Immunochromatographic tests (ICT) were first developed in the late 1960s mainly for the detection of serum proteins. In recent decades many ICTs have been described for the diagnosis of various infectious diseases. Parasitic infections constitute a major public health problem worldwide with various diagnostic challenges. Fortunately, the new immunochromatographic technology provides additional diagnostic options for parasitic diseases which can be reviewed and compared to other traditional diagnostic methods. Several ICTs have been developed for the diagnosis of malaria, leishmaniasis, filariasis, trypanosomiasis, trichomoniasis, toxoplasmosis, intestinal parasitic protozoa, and other parasitic infections. Although ICTs have been available for use in the field for a while, the available information about their performance in various parasitic diseases is inconclusive. Nonetheless, scientists agree that ICTs are a promising tool for the diagnosis of parasitic diseases with an acceptable level of diagnostic performance. ICTs are rapid, easy to perform and interpret, save time and effort, and compare favorably to other parasitological tests as a pointof- care diagnostic method. However, some claim that ICTs for the diagnosis of parasitic infections are not as sensitive as other immunoassays and may have a high rate of false positive results. This article summarizes the findings of studies which assessed various ICTs in the diagnosis of different parasitic infections, and discusses their limitations and discrepancies. The diagnostic performances and health outcomes of ICTs for various parasitic diseases are discussed in the light of current research studies.