Performance of First Response HRP2 Based Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test in Whole Blood and Saliva in Lagos State

Abstract

The study assessed the performance of First Response Histidine Rich Protein 2 (HRP2) based malaria rapid diagnostic test (MRDT) in whole blood and saliva samples, in order to assess the usefulness of saliva as an alternative sample to blood in malaria diagnosis. A total of 1026 blood samples and 186 saliva samples (total RDT positive sample) were collected from patients who attended the clinic, and fell within the inclusion criteria at St Mathew's Hospital, Amukoko, Lagos State.

Microscopy and rapid diagnostic test were carried out on the whole blood samples and saliva.

The MRDT tested demonstrated a high sensitivity of 95% and a high specificity of 98.7%  at a 95% confidence interval(p=0.445) for whole blood while saliva samples demonstrated a low sensitivity of 9.4% and high specificity of 100%.

There was no significant difference between microscopy and  First Response HRP 2 (χ², P=0.05) and as such, it is a  good diagnostic tools for malaria while saliva serves as a promising possible means of non-invasive technique in malaria diagnosis.