Evaluation of antigen detection tests, microscopy, and polymerase chain reaction for diagnosis of malaria in peripheral blood in asymptomatic pregnant women in Nanoro, Burkina Faso.

ABSTRACT: Rapid diagnostics tests (RDTs) detect malaria specific antigen(s) in the circulation, even when parasites are sequestered in the placenta and not visible by microscopy. However, research on their diagnostic accuracy during pregnancy is limited. Pregnant women (n = 418) were screened for malaria during routine antenatal care by using two RDTs that detect histidine-rich protein 2 (HRP2) or Plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays with antibodies that detect dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase or heme-detoxification protein, and compared with real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and microscopy for evaluation of their diagnostic accuracy. Prevalence of malaria infection was high (53% by PCR). The RT-PCR and the HRP2 RDT detected most cases of ma

SUBMITTER: Kattenberg JH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3414559 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature