Comparison of utility of Rapid versus Serological testing in laboratory diagnosis of Malaria

Malaria is an endemic infectious disease in India caused by the parasite, Plasmodium, which infects Red Blood Cells. Human malaria is caused by four different species of Plasmodium: P. falciparum, P. malariae, P. ovale and P. vivax. In infected blood, various stages of Plasmodium development may be seen, such as ring form, trophozoite, schizont or gametocyte. There are several known for laboratory methods for diagnosis of Malaria- Microscopic diagnosis, Antigen detection by rapid diagnostic tests, Molecular diagnosis (detection of parasite nucleic acids via PCR) and serological tests such as IFA and ELISA, that detect antibodies against malaria parasites. Microscopy of Giemsa stained thick and thin films remains the gold standard for Malaria diagnosis. A major issue in controlling the morbidity and mortality caused by malaria is the limited access to effective diagnosis and treatment in endemic areas. The most widely used routine method of microscopy needs laboratory infrastructure and expertise and is labour intensive. Therefore, development of rapid, sensitive and specific diagnostic tests to diagnose malaria is of paramount importance. With this aim, several studies have been done to compare different diagnostic tests available for Malaria diagnosis. Rapid and effective diagnostic tests in Malaria will also reduce or eliminate the need for empirical therapy.