Evaluation of the Sensitivity of Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) of Malaria in Different Age and Sex Groups Using Microscopy as a Gold Standard

Malaria remains a public health problem in over 90 countries worldwide, especially in Africa where it is the cause of morbidity and mortality. The aim of the study is to compare the sensitivity of two rapid diagnostic test kits in the diagnosis of malaria among patients attending Yobe State Specialist Hospital Damaturu. Patients were screened for malaria using blood samples collected in an EDTA container. Patients were tested with one Histidine rich protein-2(HRP-2) RDT (SD-Bioline) and a combination of Histidine rich protein-2(HRP-2) and Parasite lactose dehydrogenase enzyme (pLDH) RDT (CareStart). Microscopy was used as a gold standard. Out of 200 participants enrolled and screened for malaria, 200 (100%) tested positive by Microscopy, 159 (79.5%), tested positive by SD-Bioline (HRP 2 RDT) while 139 (69.5%), tested positive with the CareStart (pLDH RDT). Upon detection of the sensitivity by serially diluting the positive samples in other to decrease the parasite density; SD-Bioline was reactive at 1:4 dilution while CareStart was weekly reactive at this dilution. Although SD-Bioline showed to have a higher sensitivity than CareStart, both could be a suitable alternative to microscopy to screen endemic malaria in Nigeria.