Comparison Between Thick Blood Films, Quantitative Buffy Coat Technique and the ParaSight-F Dipstick in the Diagnosis of Malarial Infections

Three different laboratory methods for diagnosing malarial infections, especially with Plasmodium falciparum, were evaluated in this study using thirty infected samples (22 samples contained Plasmodium falciparum, 8 samples contained P. vivax.). These methods included stained thick blood films, Quantitative Buffy Coat system, and Dipstrip (ParaSight-F) immunoassay. Comparison among the three methods was done regarding the specificity to detect malaria parasites, the time required to perform the examination, and the advantages and disadvantages of each method. ParaSightF gave cross reactions with samples that contained high levels of rheumatoid factor (R.F.) and did not detect P. vivax. Quantitative Buffy Coat technique did not require technical skills but needed a long time to perform and species identification was very difficult. Thick blood films needed a longer time to be examined as well as special skills and experience, but it is still the method of choice since it can be applied in any laboratory or in the field with minimum equipments.