Jacqueline DeenMavuto MukakaLorenz von SeidleinFaculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol UniversityNational Institutes of Health, University of the Philippines ManilaNuffield Department of Medicine2022-08-042022-08-042021-12-01Malaria Journal. Vol.20, No.1 (2021)147528752-s2.0-85101982077https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/77182Background: Reactive malaria case detection involves the screening of those in contact with index cases and is used in countries in the Greater Mekong Sub-region. The yield of reactive case detection, defined here as the percentage of positive malaria cases among potential contacts who were screened, was assessed. Methods: A literature search was conducted on PubMed to identify studies on reactive case detection in the Greater Mekong Sub-region. Eligible published articles were reviewed and pooled estimates from the studies were calculated, by type of malaria test used. Results: Eighty-five publications were retrieved, of which 8 (9.4%) eligible articles were included in the analysis. The yield from reactive case detection ranged from 0.1 to 4.2%, with higher rates from PCR testing compared with microscopy and/or rapid diagnostic test. The overall yield from microscopy and/or rapid diagnostic test was 0.56% (95% CI 0.31–0.88%), while that from PCR was 2.35% (95% CI 1.19–3.87%). The two studies comparing different target groups showed higher yield from co-workers/co-travellers, compared with household contacts. Conclusion: In low malaria transmission settings, the effectiveness of reactive case detection is diminishing. In the Greater Mekong Sub-region, modifying reactive case detection from household contacts to co-workers/co-travellers and from testing to presumptive treatment of targeted contacts, could increase the impact of this approach.Mahidol UniversityImmunology and MicrobiologyMedicineArticleSCOPUS10.1186/s12936-021-03667-5