Sensitive detection of Plasmodium vivax in blood by a cell-ELISA using a monoclonal antibody

An IgM monoclonal antibody (7C5B71) which reacted with the blood stages of Plasmodium vivax, but not with those of Plasmodium falciparum was used in a cell-ELISA to detect parasites in samples of peripheral blood. Blood thin smears were probed with monoclonal antibody 7C5B71 and then reacted with a peroxidase conjugate of the appropriate specificity and the insoluble chromogen amino-ethyl-carbazole. Infected cells which appeared dark red coloured were rapidly identified under a light microscope using a low magnification. The conventional microscopic examination of thin films coloured with Giemsa was used as reference test. Under laboratory conditions the test showed a positive result in samples with a level of parasitaemia of < or = 500 parasites/microliter of blood. In a preliminary field trial the test showed 100 % specificity for the diagnosis of P. vivax malaria.