| Past two years | Past Year | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 386 | 113 | 18 |
| Full Text Views | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| PDF Downloads | 5 | 2 | 0 |
Detection of Plasmodium Falciparum Infection in Human Patients: A Comparison of the DNA Probe Method to Microscopic Diagnosis
Robert H. Barker Jr.
Robert H. Barker Jr.
Harvard School of Public Health, Ministry of Public Health, Malaria Division, WHO Southeast Asia Branch Office, Boston, Massachusetts, Thailand
Search for other papers by Robert H. Barker Jr. in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Robert H. Barker Jr. in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Laksami Suebsaeng
Laksami Suebsaeng
Harvard School of Public Health, Ministry of Public Health, Malaria Division, WHO Southeast Asia Branch Office, Boston, Massachusetts, Thailand
Search for other papers by Laksami Suebsaeng in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Laksami Suebsaeng in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
William Rooney
William Rooney
Harvard School of Public Health, Ministry of Public Health, Malaria Division, WHO Southeast Asia Branch Office, Boston, Massachusetts, Thailand
Search for other papers by William Rooney in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by William Rooney in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Dyann F. Wirth
Dyann F. Wirth
Harvard School of Public Health, Ministry of Public Health, Malaria Division, WHO Southeast Asia Branch Office, Boston, Massachusetts, Thailand
Search for other papers by Dyann F. Wirth in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Dyann F. Wirth in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
We have previously reported the isolation and testing of a DNA probe specific for the detection of Plasmodium falciparum. Field studies to compare the sensitivity and specificity of the DNA probe with that of light microscopy have been performed. In 2 studies in Thailand, 1,397 patients were tested. Microscope slides were prepared in a standard fashion and examined by clinical technicians and expert microscopists. The DNA probe method compares favorably in sensitivity with routine microscopy, detecting parasite densities as low as 40 parasites/µl blood in the first study and, after modifications, 20–25 parasites/µl blood in the second. Modifications included the elimination of salt from the lysis buffer, increasing the pH of the lysis buffer, and use of nylon based hybridization membranes instead of nitrocellulose. The DNA probe method offers the advantage of a standardized procedure that can be used in a batchwise fashion on a large number of samples.
Author Notes
| Past two years | Past Year | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 386 | 113 | 18 |
| Full Text Views | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| PDF Downloads | 5 | 2 | 0 |