Shortcomings of some currently available DNA probes for malaria detection.

A non-radioactive DNA probe based-method for detecting malaria will greatly aid epidemiological studies. Using putative Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax-specific 18S ribosomal RNA directed oligonucleotides, different enzymatic and chemiluminescent detection methods were attempted without success. The sensitivity of the corresponding 32P-labelled probes was found to be inadequate. A published procedure based on chemiluminescent detection of repetitive DNA sequences of P. falciparum was found to be adequately sensitive but lacking in specificity.