Field evaluation of the ICT Malaria P.f./P.v. immunochromatographic test in India
Valecha, N.; Eapen, A.; Usha Devi, C.; Ravindran, J.; Aggarwal, A.; Subbarao, S.K.
Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology 96(3): 333-336
2002
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-4983 PMID: 12061980 DOI: 10.1179/000349802125000817Document Number: 236719
The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and reliability of the ICT test, in the detection of Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax infections, were calculated using results of microscopic examination of corresponding blood smears as the 'gold standard'. Fingerprick blood samples were obtained from 571 subjects (398 males and 173 females; 3 months-70 years old) from the urban areas of Delhi and Chennai, Tamil Nadu, both in India, during September-October 1999. Microscopic examination of the blood smears revealed that 181 (31.7%) subjects had malarial parasitaemias (130 with P. vivax, 50 with P. falciparum and one with P. malariae). 37 patients who were positive for P. vivax were ICT-negative (ICT sensitivity for P. vivax, 70.6%). The sensitivity of ICT for detecting P. vivax increased with increasing parasite load. Only 2 patients who were smear-positive for P. falciparum were ICT-negative (ICT sensitivity for P. falciparum, 95.9%). The single patient infected with P. malariae was ICT-positive. It is suggested that ICT can help differentiate malaria from non-malarial illnesses and identify patients with high P. vivax parasite load.