[Re-examination of malaria diagnosis in Hubei Provincial Malaria Diagnostic Reference Laboratory from 2017 to 2019]

To analyze the re-examination results of malaria cases captured from the National Notifiable Communicable Disease Reporting System in Hubei Provincial Malaria Diagnostic Reference Laboratory from 2017 to 2019, so as to pro- vide the scientific evidence for improving the malaria control capability in the province.

Microscopy and nested PCR assay were performed to re-examine the diagnosis of malaria cases registered in the National Notifiable Communicable Disease Reporting System in Hubei Provincial Malaria Diagnostic Reference Laboratory from 2017 to 2019, and the coincidences of ma- laria diagnosis and malaria parasite species were evaluated.

A total of 410 malaria cases were reported in Hubei Province from 2017 to 2019 according to the data retrieved from the National Notifiable Communicable Disease Reporting System. Among the 407 samples re-examined by Hubei Provincial Malaria Diagnostic Reference Laboratory from 2017 to 2019, the diag- nosis 374 malaria cases were confirmed, with an overall coincidence of 91.89% (374/407) for malaria diagnosis and 89.04% (333/374) for parasite species identification. The coincidence rates of malaria diagnosis and parasite species identification were 50.00% to 100.00% and 66.67% to 100.00% in 16 cities (prefectures) of Hubei Province during the re-examinations, which both varied in regions (χ² = 40.46 and 42.30, both P values < 0.01). The coincidence rates of Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae and P. ovale identification were 95.80%, 100.00%, 58.33% and 51.92% during the re-examinations, respectively (χ² = 76.66, P < 0.01). The consistency rate between microscopic and nested PCR results was 89.83% (362/403).

The overall diagnostic quality of malaria is high in medical institutions at all levels in Hubei Province; however, the diagnostic capability of malaria remains to be improved in some regions.