| Abstract: | Malaria is the most important parasitic disease worldwide. With the advent of multidrug-resistant strains, it is highly important that the disease be diagnosed both early and accurately. For the diagnosis of malaria parasites, the thick blood film approach remains the gold standard. However, the use of that standard requires a microscope, stains, and a trained microscopist to interpret the films. The author describes the microscopical detection of the malaria parasite through the use of fluorochrome as well as the development of antigen detection tests to improve the laboratory diagnosis of malaria. Histidine-rich protein II (HRPII) is expressed by the asexual stages of Plasmodium falciparum. The detection of HRPII antigen appears to be a useful alternative diagnostic technique when microscopes are unavailable. However, a negative test result may indicate the presence of non-P falciparum malaria or that it is too early in the course of infection to detect parasites. One advantage of a parasite lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH) detection system is its ability to detect all 4 species of malaria and to diagnose both P. falciparum and P. vivax infections. |
