BACKGROUND Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) now play an important role in the diagnosis of falciparum malaria in many countries where the disease is endemic. Although these tests have been extensively evaluated in uncomplicated falciparum malaria, reliable data on their performance for diagnosing potentially lethal severe malaria is lacking. METHODS We compared a Plasmodium falciparum histidine-...

Abstract Rapid diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 during pandemic enables timely treatment and prevention COVID-19. Evaluating the accuracy reliability rapid diagnostic testing kits is crucial for surveillance infections in general population, injection drug users, multi-transfused populations, healthcare workers, prisoners, barbers other high risk populations. The aim this study was to evaluate performan...

In Nigeria, access to malaria diagnostics may be expanded if drug retailers were allowed to administer malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs). A 2012 pilot intervention showed that short message service (SMS) reminder messages could boost treatment adherence to RDT results by 10-14% points. This study aimed to replicate the SMS intervention in a different population, and additionally test the ef...

INTRODUCTION Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are the primary diagnostic tools for HIV used in resource-constrained settings. Without a proper confirmation algorithm, there is concern that false-positive (FP) RDTs could result in misdiagnosis of HIV infection and inappropriate antiretroviral treatment (ART) initiation, but programmatic data on FP are few. METHODS We examined the accuracy of RDT ...

On April 1, 2013, the Public Health Directorate of Angola announced that six cases of dengue had been reported to the Ministry of Health of Angola (MHA). As of May 31, a total of 517 suspected dengue cases had been reported and tested for dengue with a rapid diagnostic test (RDT). A total of 313 (60.5%) specimens tested positive for dengue, including one from a patient who died. All suspected c...

BACKGROUND Early detection and confirmation of cholera outbreaks are crucial for rapid implementation of control measures. Because cholera frequently affects regions with limited laboratory resources, rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) designed for field conditions are important to enhance rapid response. Stool culture remains the "gold standard" for cholera diagnosis; however, its lack of sensitivit...

BACKGROUND In low resource settings, Salmonella serovars frequently cause bloodstream infections. This study investigated the diagnostic performance of immunochromatographic rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), which detect Salmonella antigens, when applied to stored grown blood culture broth. MATERIAL/METHODS The SD Bioline One Step Salmonella Typhi Ag Rapid Detection Kit (Standard Diagnostics, Re...

BACKGROUND Diagnostic tests are recommended for suspected malaria cases before treatment, but comparative performance of microscopy and rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) at rural health centers has rarely been studied compared to independent expert microscopy. METHODS Participants (N = 1997) with presumptive malaria were recruited from ten health centers with a range of transmission intensities i...

BACKGROUND Case detection and treatment are critical to malaria control and elimination as infected individuals who do not seek medical care can serve as persistent reservoirs for transmission. METHODS Household malaria surveys were conducted in two study areas within Southern Province, Zambia in 2007 and 2008. Cross-sectional surveys were conducted approximately five times throughout the yea...

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the serological methods using ELISA with recombinant-rK39 (ELISA-rK-39) and soluble extract-SE (ELISA-SE) antigens, the indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT) in comparison to an immunochromatography rapid diagnostic test (RDT-rK39) and with a direct parasitological exam (PA) for Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis (CVL) diagnosis. The results showed t...