Korean J Parasitol.  2014 Aug;52(4):377-381. 10.3347/kjp.2014.52.4.377.

Nested-PCR and a New ELISA-Based NovaLisa Test Kit for Malaria Diagnosis in an Endemic Area of Thailand

• Thongdee P
• Chaijaroenkul W
• Kuesap J
• Na-Bangchang K

• KMID: 1792198
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2014.52.4.377

Abstract

Microscopy is considered as the gold standard for malaria diagnosis although its wide application is limited by the requirement of highly experienced microscopists. PCR and serological tests provide efficient diagnostic performance and have been applied for malaria diagnosis and research. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic performance of nested PCR and a recently developed an ELISA-based new rapid diagnosis test (RDT), NovaLisa test kit, for diagnosis of malaria infection, using microscopic method as the gold standard. The performance of nested-PCR as a malaria diagnostic tool is excellent with respect to its high accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and ability to discriminate Plasmodium species. The sensitivity and specificity of nested-PCR compared with the microscopic method for detection of Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, and P. falciparum/P. vivax mixed infection were 71.4 vs 100%, 100 vs 98.7%, and 100 vs 95.0%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the ELISA-based NovaLisa test kit compared with the microscopic method for detection of Plasmodium genus were 89.0 vs 91.6%, respectively. NovaLisa test kit provided comparable diagnostic performance. Its relatively low cost, simplicity, and rapidity enables large scale field application.

Keyword

Plasmodium falciparum; Plasmodium vivax; nested-PCR; ELISA-based NovaLisa test kit

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Coinfection/*diagnosis/epidemiology
Endemic Diseases
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/methods
Female
Humans
Malaria, Falciparum/*diagnosis/epidemiology
Malaria, Vivax/*diagnosis/epidemiology
Male
Middle Aged
Molecular Diagnostic Techniques/*methods
Polymerase Chain Reaction/*methods
Sensitivity and Specificity
Serologic Tests/methods
Thailand/epidemiology
Young Adult