The ICT Malaria® Pf : A simple, rapid dipstick test for the diagnosis of Plasmodium falciparum malaria at the Thai-Myanmar border

Abstract

The ICT Malaria® Pf test for the detection of Plasmodium falciparum infection was evaluated in the diagnosis of 305 patients with fever who were admitted to a hospital located on the Thai-Myammar border. All patients were admitted for at least one week to exclude reinfection. The test was performed using admission blood samples collected into ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the test were 92.7%, 95.1% and 94.7% respectively, compared to standard microscopic diagnosis. The ICT Malaria® Pf test is an accurate method for the diagnosis of P. falciparum infection. Its simplicity and rapidity make it particularly appropriate for use in remote areas where microscopic examination of blood films is unavailable.