Malaria Detection Microscope

A quote “Health is Wealth” is maybe a clichéd quote yet very true!  In this particular article, we will look at what are the benefits of Malaria Detection Microscope that can be leveraged for detecting malaria, a deadly disease, and the commitment of building a low-cost, effective and open-source solution.

Abstract

Malaria is a fatal, communicable mosquito-borne disease produced by Plasmodium parasites. These parasites are spread by the stings of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.

Malaria is still today considered as one of the highest killer and serious parasitic diseases striking tropical countries with major challenges. It is an overwhelming problem in developing countries in the tropical region. Most deaths occur in Africa, where a child dies around every minute from malaria, and where malaria is a leading cause of childhood neuro-disability. According to the World Malaria Report 2016, an estimated 3.2 billion people in 95 countries and territories are at risk of being infected with malaria and developing the disease, and 1.2 billion are at high risk.

The World Health Organization recommends that malaria treatment be based on demonstration of the infecting Plasmodium parasite species. The discovery of Plasmodium parasites by light microscopy is still the chief method of malaria diagnosis in most health care facilities throughout the world.

Currently, in the northeastern parts of India, malaria case detection, especially in remote areas, depends heavily on the microscopy method and it is being regarded as one of the gold standard methods for malaria diagnosis towards the identification of Plasmodium.

At community points of care, Malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are recommended as they are accurate and rapid and have the potential to significantly improve and standardize malaria diagnosis.

Let’s Chalk Down The Symptoms Of Malaria:

Clinical diagnosis is the least expensive; the most commonly used mode of malaria diagnosis and is the reason for self-treatment. However, the overlap of malaria symptoms with other tropical diseases and can result in misdiagnosis. Most often the first symptoms of malaria are fever, chills, sweats, headaches, muscle pains, nausea, and vomiting. Along with that there are also found in other diseases such as the “flu” and common viral infections, elevated temperature, perspiration, tiredness. Confusion, coma, neurologic focal signs, severe anemia, respiratory difficulties are also more striking and may increase the index of suspicion for malaria.

Benefits of the microscope in Malaria Diagnosis

Microscopy is an equipped, comparatively simple technique that is commonly used in laboratories. Any laboratory that can conduct regular hematology tests that are implemented to perform a thin and thick malaria smear. A microscopy test provides valuable information within a few hours of collecting the blood. Firstly, it is determined that malaria parasites are present in the patient’s blood. Once the diagnosis is confirmed – normally by detecting parasites in the thick smear – the laboratorial examines the thin smear to fix the malaria species and the parasitemia. The thin and thick smears can provide vital information to the doctor to guide the initial treatment decisions that need to be made acutely.

Benefits of the microscope in Malaria Diagnosis: Microscopic malaria diagnosis prevails in the low direct cost that gives it a distinct advantage in resource-poor settings. Other existing diagnostic methods or any new method have to verify that they can provide similar ease of use.

Important things should be following while using a malaria detection microscope:

Timely and accurate diagnosis of malaria is significant for efficient treatment and to stop transmission in communities. Microscopic tests must be performed quickly when commanded by a health-care provider. Besides, these tests should not be sent out to reference laboratories with results available only days to weeks later. Health-care providers must receive results from these tests within hours to appropriately treat their patients infected with malaria.

End Note:

Due to the huge benefits of the microscope in Malaria Diagnosis, Microscopy performed better and is more reliable than the first response in areas with low parasite density among patients less than 6 years of age. Rapid diagnostic tests could be useful in areas with high parasite density as an alternative to smear microscopy