A simple and fast method to exclude high Plasmodium falciparum parasitaemia in travellers with imported malaria.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Counts of malaria parasites in peripheral blood are important to assess severity of Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Thin and thick smears are routinely used for this purpose.

METHODS:

In this study the Binax NOW Malaria Test, an easy-to-perform rapid diagnostic test, with Histidine Rich Protein-2 (HRP-2) and aldolase as diagnostic markers, was used for semi-quantitative assessment of parasitaemia of P. falciparum.

RESULTS:

In 257 patients with imported P. falciparum malaria, reactivity of aldolase increased with higher parasitaemia. In all patients with a parasitaemia above 50,000 asexual parasites/μl (> 1%) co-reactivity of HRP-2 and aldolase was observed. Absence of aldolase reactivity in the presence of HRP-2 was a reliable predictive marker to exclude high (> 1%) parasitaemia in P. falciparum malaria.

CONCLUSIONS:

Assessment of HRP-2 and aldolase co-reactivity can be of help in clinical decision making in the acute care setting of returning travellers suspected of having malaria.

• Authors: Tom van Gool, Marlies E van Wolfswinkel, Rob Koelewijn, Pieter P A M van Thiel, Jan Jacobs, Jaap J van Hellemond, Perry J J van Genderen
• Journal: Malaria journal (Malar J) Vol. 10 Pg. 300 (Oct 14 2011) ISSN: 1475-2875 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 21999570 (Publication Type: Evaluation Study, Journal Article, Multicenter Study)

Chemical References

• Antigens, Protozoan
• HRP-2 antigen, Plasmodium falciparum
• Protozoan Proteins
• Fructose-Bisphosphate Aldolase

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Antigens, Protozoan (blood)
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Clinical Laboratory Techniques (methods)
• Diagnostic Tests, Routine (methods)
• Female
• Fructose-Bisphosphate Aldolase (blood)
• Humans
• Infant
• Malaria, Falciparum (diagnosis)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Parasitemia (diagnosis)
• Plasmodium falciparum (isolation & purification)
• Protozoan Proteins (blood)
• Travel
• Young Adult