Zareen Fasih, Farzana Zafar, Zamarud Zamir, Nusrat Minn.
Evaluation of OptiMal test for the rapid diagnosis of Malaria in children.
Pak Paed J Jan ;29(4):170-6.

Objectives: The main objective of this study is the evaluation of OptiMal for the rapid diagnosis of Malaria in children. Study Period: 1st, Jan 2005 to 30th Sep 2005 at North Campus Ziauddin Medical University Hospital. Materials & Methods: A total of 285 children admitted with complaints of high grade fever with Chills & Splenomegally were controlled. For each patient 2cc of blood was taken for the Thin & Thick films for gimsa stain, microscopy and at the same time sample was immediately tested for OptiMal using OptiMal Immuno Chromatographic assay. The result were compared and evaluated with those of microscopic examination (ME), in the stained thick blood smear. Correlation of the OptiMal was also done with clinical sign & symptoms. Blood film were defined as negative if there were no malarial parasite, P. Vivax, asexual form of P. Falciparum or P. Ovale in 100 high power field of a thick film. Results: Out of 285 children MP was positive in 54 cases while OptiMal was positive in 68 cases. Out of 68 positive cases 61 had P. Vivax, while 7 had P. Falciparum. OptiMal was highly specific (reaching 91%) and 85% sensitive in detection of Malaria in children. Positive Predictive Value (PPV) of ICT is 68%. Negative Predictive Value (NPV) of ICT is 96%. Conclusion: OptiMal test can be a very helpful in the prompt diagnosis of malaria in febrile children in an out patient setting and in places where well trained and experienced malaria microscopists are not available.

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