Abstract
INTRODUCTION:
Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for detecting Plasmodium antigens have become increasingly common worldwide. We aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the Immuno-Rapid Malaria Pf/Pv RDT in detecting Plasmodium vivax infection compared to standard thick blood smear (TBS) under microscopy.
METHODS:
Hundred and eighty-one febrile patients from the hospital’s regular admissions were assessed using TBS and RDT in a blinded experiment.
RESULTS:
RDT showed a sensitivity of 98.9%, specificity of 100%, and accuracy of 99.5% for P. vivax infection when compared to TBS.
CONCLUSIONS:
The RDT is highly accurate, making it a valuable diagnostic tool for P. vivax infection.
Keywords:
Rapid diagnostic test; Plasmodium vivax; Plasmodium falciparum; Sensitivity; Specificity
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