Files and links (1)
Advancing malaria field diagnostics for low-resource settings5.43 MB
Thesis Embargoed Access, Embargo ends: 02-Jun-2025
Dissertation
Advancing malaria field diagnostics for low-resource settings
University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Doctor of Philosophy, University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
2024
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25907/00850
Abstract
Malaria is a formidable infectious disease, killing almost one child every minute. To improve the diagnostic capacity of malaria endemic nations, this project investigated both the utility of current malaria diagnostics, as well as the development of sensitive, low-resource new diagnostic technologies. Firstly, the current effectiveness of malaria field diagnostics in the Solomon Islands was investigated, to identify if rapid diagnostic tests should become the primary field diagnostic over microscopy for detecting malaria. Analysis demonstrated the effectiveness of RDTs was greater than microscopy for the detection of both P. vivax and P. falciparum malaria within the Solomon Islands. This not only supports the predominant use of RDTs nationwide for detecting malaria, but it also highlights the potential degradation of microscopy’s diagnostic ability from laboratory to field and illustrates the need for improved field diagnostics. Secondly, this project evaluated two molecular diagnostic tests for P. falciparum (Pf) and P. vivax (Pv). Both the Rapid Pf test and Rapid Pv test demonstrated potential for improving malaria field diagnostics. Evaluation of the Rapid Pf test using clinical samples from infected volunteers demonstrated detection down to 49 parasites/μL with 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity (n=170) in just 20 minutes. Meanwhile, the Rapid Pv test, which used plasmid and a single clinical sample for analysis, also successfully detected P. vivax infections down to 50 parasites/μL. Further optimization for clinical and field testing in a low resource setting could enable these tests to be used as new tools for malaria elimination. Overall, this project demonstrated that for immediate diagnostic improvements, reliance on malaria RDTs has the potential for increasing diagnostic positivity rates and reducing potential missed infections. In addition, development of more sensitive rapid field tests could ultimately improve global malaria elimination strategies, further assisting in the fight against malaria.
Details
- Title
- Advancing malaria field diagnostics for low-resource settings
- Authors
- Genevieve Kerr - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Centre for Bioinnovation
- Contributors
- Joanne Macdonald (Principal Supervisor) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Centre for BioinnovationTanya Russell (Supervisor)Leon E Hugo (Supervisor) - QIMR Berghofer Medical Research InstituteNina M Pollak (Co-Supervisor) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Centre for BioinnovationDavid McMillan (Co-Supervisor) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Centre for Bioinnovation
- Awarding institution
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- Degree awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Publisher
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- DOI
- 10.25907/00850
- Organisation Unit
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991028698602621
- Output Type
- Dissertation
Metrics
20 Record Views