Malaria is caused by a protozoan which invades human red blood cells. Malaria is one of the world’s most prevalent diseases. According to the WHO, the worldwide prevalence of the disease is estimated to be 300-500 million cases and over 1 million deaths every year. Most of these victims are infants or young children. Over half of the world’s population lives in malarious areas. Microscopic analysis of appropriately stained thick and thin blood smears has been the standard diagnostic technique for identifying malaria infections for more than one century. The technique is capable of accurate and reliable diagnosis when performed by skilled microscopists using defined protocols. The skill of the microscopist and use of proven and defined procedures, frequently present the greatest obstacles to fully achieving the potential accuracy of microscopic diagnosis. Although there is a logistical burden associated with performing a time-intensive, labor-intensive, and equipment-intensive procedure such as diagnostic microscopy, it is the training required to establish and sustain competent performance of microscopy that poses the greatest difficulty in employing this diagnostic technology. The Malaria Test (Whole Blood) is a rapid test to qualitatively detect the presence of the P.f antigen.
The Malaria rapid test (Whole Blood) is a rapid chromatographic immunoassay for the qualitative detection of circulating antigens of Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale, Plasmodium malariae in whole blood.
The Malaria test strips is a qualitative, membrane based immunoassay for the detection of P.f, P.v, P.o and P.m antigens in whole blood. The membrane is pre-coated with anti-HRP-II antibodies and anti-Lactate Dehydrogenase antibodies. During testing, the whole blood specimen reacts with the dye conjugate, which has been pre-coated on the test strip. The mixture then migrates upward on the membrane by capillary action, reacts with anti-Histidine- Rich Protein II (HRP-II) antibodies on the membrane on P.f Test Line region and with anti-Lactate Dehydrogenase antibodies on the membrane on Pan Line region. If the specimen contains HRP-II or Plasmodium-specific Lactate Dehydrogenase or both, a colored line will appear in P.f line region or Pan line region or two colored lines will appear in P.f line region and Pan line region. The absence of the colored lines in P.f line region or Pan line region indicates that the specimen does not contain HRP-II and/or Plasmodium-specific Lactate Dehydrogenase. To serve as a procedure control, a colored line will always appear in the control line region indicating that proper volume of specimen has been added and membrane wicking has occurred.
Post time: Apr-25-2023