Malaria Symptoms Diagnosis

The diagnosis of malaria symptoms using the Diamed OptiMAL-IT rapid malaria test kit has never been faster, cheaper or easier. The kit detects pLDH (Plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase) in blood samples and is ideal for malaria diagnosis, therapy monitoring and therapy control.

Most travellers to exotic locations are aware of the need to take anti-malarial drugs, but not all are aware that malaria can still occur. The symptoms usually occur within 9 to 14 days following the bite of an infected mosquito, although the plasmodium parasite may remain dormant in the blood stream for up to a year. Early malaria symptoms can include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, muscle aches, and tiredness - general flu-like symptoms. The actual symptoms may differ depending on the species of plasmodium that caused the infection. The Diamed OptiMAL-IT rapid malaria test kit differentiates between the plasmodium species of infection, identifying the potentially fatal P. falciparum, from the less serious P. vivax, P. malariae and P. ovale.

It is important to realise that the early symptoms of malaria infection are easy to dismiss, but if left untreated the parasites will increase rapidly in the blood stream and deterioration in the health of the individual can be quite sudden. As the parasite multiples in the blood stream the infected individual goes through bouts of feeling "fluey", caused by the life cycle of the parasites as they are released at different times to infect new blood and liver cells. Cycles of chills and fever lasting up to several hours and occurring every two to four days normally develop. In serious cases the parasite may infect the heart, lungs, kidneys, or brain causing serious damage and possibly death.

Flu-like symptoms following a visit to a tropical country (any time up to a year after the trip) must be followed up as early detection followed by treatment is usually 100% effective at preventing any complications from the disease. The Diamed OptiMAL-IT kit can also be used for monitoring and controlling therapy as the amount of pLDH in the sample decreases, so does the strength of the positive line. The Diamed OptiMAL-IT test kit can be used in the hospital or in a general practitioners surgery. Easy to follow instructions mean that complicated diagnosis of pLDH and differentiation of plasmodium species of infection by microscopy is a thing of the past.

Find out more about malaria diagnosis using Diamed OptiMAL-IT.