Performance of OptiMAL-IT compared to microscopy, for malaria detection in Burkina Faso
Innocent Valéa1, Halidou Tinto, Madi Nikiema
1Centre Muraz, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. valinno@yahoo.fr
Tropical Medicine & International Health : TM & IH
|February 4, 2009
Abstract
Objective:
To compare the performance of OptiMAL-IT, a rapid diagnostic test for malaria, with that of microscopy in Burkina Faso.
Method:
Finger-prick blood samples of 464 children attending hospital for suspected malaria were tested for malaria by microscopy and OptiMAL-IT.
Results:
The sensitivity and specificity of OptiMAL-IT were 98.7% (CI 95% = 97.6-99.8) and 96.2% (CI 95% = 94.3-98.1) respectively, with a high positive likelihood ratio (25.97).
Conclusion:
OptiMAL-IT can be considered a good method to diagnose malaria in Burkina Faso, particularly in remote areas with little or no access to microscopy services.
