Diagnosing malaria

Diagnosis

Malaria is usually diagnosed by the characteristic signs and symptoms of the disease, then treated empirically, without waiting to diagnose the actual species of plasmodium causing the infection. However, this can lead to problems as the disease produces symptoms very similar to those caused by other infections.

The two diagnostic approaches currently used are based on:

1. the symptoms and signs of the disease - i.e. a clinical diagnosis and
2. detection of the causative parasite or its product(s).

The most commonly used approach is microscopic diagnosis, and more recently Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) based on immunochromatographic techniques.