Abstract:
The objective of this descriptive study was to study the effectiveness of the rapid malaria test for diagnosis of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax by Tak Malaria Post Volunteer. By compare the result of the Rapid Malaria Test (OptiMAL(R)) with Giemsa thick blood film microscopic method (standard method) for each blood sample, the blood samples were collected from 454 patients in the Malaria Post located in five districts of Tak Province along the border area betbeen Thai and Myanmar September 2002 and January 2003. It was found that the average age of the patients was 22.37 years. Most of them were males (63.70%). 66.50% were Thai and 33.50% were Karen and Myanmar. 41.40% of them were agriculturists. The positive detections with Giemsa thick blood film microscopic method accounted were 14.32%. Most of positive smear were found to be P. falciparum (66.15%), P. vivax was found 30.77%, the rest of them were P. ovale. With the Rapid Malaria Test Method (OptiMAL(R)), the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy showed 84.12, 100 and 99.78% respectively. Positive predictive value was 100% while negative predictive value was 86.06%. The study showed no difference between the Rapid Malaria Test Method (OptiMAL(R)) and the Giemsa thick blood film microscopic method unless the parasite density of the blood sample was less than 100 per microlitre of blood test that show statistically significant difference (p<0.05) Therefore, the Rapid Malaria Test Method (OptiMAL(R)) is suitable for the area with high prevalence of P. falciparum malaria cases and the remote areas which need the urgency of diagnosis and no expert for reading the thick film available.