Field application of SD bioline malaria Ag Pf/Pan rapid diagnostic test for malaria in Greece

PLoS One. 2015 Mar 24;10(3):e0120367. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0120367. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Greece, a malaria-free country since 1974, has experienced re-emergence of Plasmodium vivax autochthonous malaria cases in some agriculture areas over the last three years. In early 2012, an integrated control programme (MALWEST Project) was launched in order to prevent re-establishment of the disease. In the context of this project, the rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) of SD Bioline Malaria Ag Pf/Pan that detects hrp-2 and pan-LDH antigens were used. The aim of this study was to assess the field application of the RDT for the P. vivax diagnosis in comparison to light microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A total of 955 samples were tested with all three diagnostic tools. Agreement of RDT against microscopy and PCR for the diagnosis of P. vivax was satisfactory (K value: 0.849 and 0.976, respectively). The sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value of RDT against PCR was 95.6% (95% C.I.: 84.8-99.3), 100% (95% C.I.: 99.6-100.0) and 100% (95% CI: 91.7-100.0) respectively, while the sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value of RDT against microscopic examination was 97.4% (95% C.I.: 86.1-99.6), 99.4% (95% C.I.: 98.6-99.8) and 86.1% (95% CI: 72.1-94.7), respectively. Our results indicate that RDT performed satisfactory in a non-endemic country and therefore is recommended for malaria diagnosis, especially in areas where health professionals lack experience on light microscopy.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Antigens, Protozoan / analysis
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Diagnostic Tests, Routine / economics
  • Diagnostic Tests, Routine / methods*
  • Greece / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Malaria, Vivax / diagnosis*
  • Malaria, Vivax / epidemiology*
  • Microscopy / economics
  • Microscopy / methods
  • Middle Aged
  • Plasmodium vivax / isolation & purification*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / economics
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antigens, Protozoan

Grants and funding

The data collected in the context of "Integrated Surveillance and control programme for West Nile Virus and malaria in Greece MIS 365280 (MALWEST Project)" which is implemented through the Operational Programme entitled “Human Resources Development of National Strategic Reference Framework” (NSRF) 2007–2013. The programme is co-funded by Greece and the European Union—European Regional Development Fund. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. URL: http://www.malwest.gr/.