Guest posting: Dr Ian Marr, Microbiology Registrar, NSW Health Pathology. 

Malaria diagnosis Marr August 2018 v2

Short questions for postgraduates:

1. Describe the relative sensitivity of different malaria test methodologies – microscopy,  rapid diagnostic kits and nucleic acid amplification.
2. Describe the process of malarial slide preparation and staining emphasising the critical factors
3. Explain how one examines malarial microscopy slides
4. What is the relevance of microscopy/RDT negative malaria cases?
5. How are RDTs evaluated by WHO?  How well do the RDTs in use in PNG perform according to the most recent WHO report?
6. What are critical factors that affect the sensitivity of RDTs?
7. What is the LAMP method and how is the test conducted?  (Consider preanalytical, analytical and post-analytical steps)

References

• Basic malaria microscopy – Part I: Learner’s guide. Second edition, February 2010 – World Health Organisation

• Imwong et al. The epidemiology of subclinical malaria infections in South‑East Asia: findings from cross‑sectional surveys in Thailand–Myanmar border areas, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Malar J (2015) 14:381. – the important role of PCR in surveillance and disease control.
• Mathison et al.  Update on Malaria Diagnostics. JCM 2017 – excellent short review.
• Lab capacity PNG_Evelyn Lavu_Global Malaria Congress 2018– important recent overview of malaria situation in PNG and laboratory capacity
• Rosewell-A et al. Health information system strengthening and malaria elimination
  in Papua New Guinea. Malar J (2017) 16:278.