Ann Clin Microbiol 2024;27(3):155-170. Malaria diagnostics: from traditional techniques to cutting-edge solutions
| Methods | Sensitivity (%) | Specificity (%) | Limit of detection (parasites/µL) | Time for result | Skill level | Equipment | Cost/Test ($) | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microscopy | Moderate to high (70-90) | High (95-100) | 50-100 | 30-60 min | High | Microscope | 0.5-2 | [7], [10] |
| PCR | Very high (>95) | Very high (>95) | 1-5 | 4-6 hrs | High | Thermal cycler, gel electrophoresis | 10-20 | [52], [54] |
| Real-time PCR | Very high (>95) | Very high (>95) | 0.064 – 1.6 | 2-4 hrs | High | Real-time thermal cycler | 15-25 | [60], [61], [62] |
| LAMP | High (90-95) | High (95-100) | 1-10 | 1-2 hrs | Moderate | Simple heater or water bath | 2-5 | [38], [66] |
| RPA | High (85-95) | High (95-100) | 1-10 | 20-40 min | Moderate | Simple heater or water bath | 5-10 | [73] |
| RDT | Moderate to high (70-90) | Moderate to high (85-95) | 100-200 | 10-20 min | Low | None | 0.5-3 | [6], [9] |
Abbreviations: PCR, polymerase chain reaction; LAMP, loop-mediated isothermal amplification; RPA, recombinase polymerase amplification; RDT, rapid diagnostic test.