The use of parasite lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme-based visual test for the speciation of Plasmodium Falciparum and Plasmodium vivax infections

ABSTRACT

Parasite specific lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) isoenzyme coated OptiMAL test strips were used to diagnose Plasmodium falciparum and p. vivax infections in one hundred clinically suspected malaria patients attending the Clinical Research Unit for Malaria, Defence Services General Hospital, Mingaladon during May to September 1999. Traditional microscopic examination was carried out in parallet to observe the sensitivity and specificity of the LDH-based OptiMAL test. the interpretation of the results by LDH-based test strips took only five minutes, whereas microscopic examination took thrity minutes. The sensitivities and specificities of pLDH-based OptiMAL test were 89.47 per cent and 100.0 per cent for P. falciparum; 100.0 per cent and 96.43 per cent for P.vivax respectively. Due to the rapid detection and speciation, prompt treatment was made without any delay.