Malaria PF/PV Antigen Rapid Test

Malaria is a mosquito-borne, hemolytic, febrile illness that infects over 200 million people and kills more than 1 million people per year. It is caused by four species of Plasmodium: P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, and P. malariae. These plasmodia all infect and destroy human erythrocytes, producing chills, fever, anemia, and splenomegaly. P. falciparum causes more sever disease than the other plasmodial species and accounts for most malaria deaths. P. falciparum and P. vivax are the most common pathogens, however, there is considerable geographic variation in species distribution. Traditionally, malaria is diagnosed by the demonstration of the organisms on Giemsa stained thick smears of peripheral blood, and the different species of plasmodium are distinguished by their appearance in infected erythrocytes. The technique is capable of accurate and reliable diagnosis, but only when performed by skilled microscopists using defined protocols, which presents major obstacles for the remote and poor areas of the world. The Malaria Pf/Pv Ag Rapid Test is developed for solving these obstacles. It utilizes antibodies specific to P. falciparum Histidine Rich Protein-II (pHRP-II) and to P. vivax Lactate Dehydrogenase (Pv-LDH) to simultaneously detect and differentiate infection with P. falciparum and P. vivax. The test can be performed by untrained or minimally skilled personnel, without laboratory equipment.