Performance of a prototype malaria rapid diagnostic test versus thick film microscopy among HIV-positive subjects in rural Rakai, Uganda

Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2010 Mar;104(3):237-9. doi: 10.1016/j.trstmh.2009.07.030. Epub 2009 Sep 17.

Abstract

In this study, we report the performance of a prototype malaria rapid diagnostic test, Malaria F-test (MFT), compared with thick blood films from HIV-positive Ugandans undergoing malaria testing. In total, 21/154 samples (13.6%) were concordantly positive by both thick film and MFT and 129/154 samples (83.8%) were concordantly negative; 1 sample (0.6%) was thick film-positive but MFT-negative and 3 samples (1.9%) were thick film-negative but MFT-positive. The sensitivity of MFT was 95.5% (95% CI 77.2-99.9%) compared with thick film microscopy and the specificity was 97.7% (95% CI 93.5-99.5%). MFT was simple, rapid and effective for detection of Plasmodium falciparum among HIV-positive subjects in a rural, malaria-endemic African setting.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Diagnostic Tests, Routine / methods
  • Diagnostic Tests, Routine / standards*
  • Female
  • HIV Seropositivity*
  • Humans
  • Malaria, Falciparum / complications
  • Malaria, Falciparum / diagnosis*
  • Malaria, Falciparum / parasitology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Plasmodium falciparum / isolation & purification*
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Uganda
  • Young Adult