Para Sight-F test results in cerebral malaria patients before and after treatment in Chittagong Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh
Abul Faiz, M.; Rashid, R.; Palit, R.; Rahman, M.R.; BinYunus, E.; Hussain, A.; Rahman, E.; Talukdar, K.R.; Bangali, A.M.; Montanari, R.M.
Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 94(1): 56-57
2000
ISSN/ISBN: 0035-9203 PMID: 10748901 Document Number: 524991
During a comparison of artemether and quinine in the treatment of cerebral malaria in adult patients in Bangladesh, the ParaSight-F dipstick test was compared (on treatment days 0, 7 and 28) with examination of thick blood films. Of the 59 patients enrolled in the trial, 7 died within the first week. The remaining 52 were re-tested on day 7 and 36 were re-tested on day 28. On day 0 the ParaSight-F test was negative in 1 of the 59 patients. On day 7, the ParaSight-F test was negative in only 6 patients (compared with 51 by thick smear). On day 28, 26 patients were negative by ParaSight-F (compared with 34 by thick smear). It is considered that those testing positive by ParaSight-F on day 7 had a delayed antigenaemia related to their severe and complicated status. It is suggested that the ParaSight-F test should not be used for monitoring the response to antimalarial drugs.