Laboratory analysis of the first case of imported oval malaria in Rizhao City / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To diagnose the first imported case of Plasmodium ovale infection by laboratory detection. Meth?ods The epidemiological data and blood samples of the case were collected,and the samples were detected by the microscopic examination,rapid diagnostic test(RDT)and nested PCR. Results The patient was a construction worker backing from Con?go,Africa. He experienced the symptoms of irregular fever and weakness one month after returning in Lingyang Town,Junxian County. The results of RDT only suggested no?Plasmodium falciparum infection. Under the microscope,it was seen that the in?fected RBC were obviously disfigured and in irregular shape,the ring forms were thick and big,and also thick granulas in big trophozoite stage and schizont stage were found. The results of PCR showed that the size of amplified product was about 800 bp, which was conformed to that of P. ovale. Conclusion Though microscopic examination is the golden standard for malaria diag?nosis,as P. ovale is difficult to be identified under microscope,the microscopic method combined with PCR test can be used for definite diagnosis.