Malaria test parasite infection
Malaria antigen from EDTA (code MALFS)
Plasmodium malaria diagnostics (immunological) EDTA blood is looked for:
- plasmodium falciparum ag.
- plasmodium vivax ag.
- plasmodium malariae ag.
- plasmodium ovale ag.
If you have been to a malaria area and have not taken any malaria pills, but want to check whether you have been infected with malaria when you get home, this test is recommended. This test is also useful if you suspect you have been infected.
For those infectious diseases that are notifiable, we are obligated to report a positive result to your local GGD (more information).
If you get a fever, you should always turn to your doctor.
If you have no symptoms (yet), but you want to check whether you have contracted the parasite, you can do this test from about 15 days after possible infection. Up to 6 months after possible infection malaria is detectable in the blood (the incubation time of malaria is 7 to 14 days).
Malaria is an infectious disease caused by malaria parasites that enter the body after a mosquito bite. Malaria is one of the most threatening infectious diseases in the (sub)tropics. There are different forms of malaria. Malaria tropica is the most common form of malaria and usually the most severe. Malaria occurs regularly in the Netherlands. These are people who have contracted the disease in the (sub)tropics.
Despite extensive efforts to develop vaccines targeting all stages of the parasite, no effective vaccine can be expected in the near future.
The patient's blood is infectious to the mosquito from the moment gametocytes (sexual forms) are present: from the fourth day after infection for P. vivax and P. ovale and from the fifteenth day after infection for P. falciparum and P. malariae. Gametocytes remain in the blood for several weeks despite therapy.
The treatment of malaria is becoming increasingly difficult due to the emergence of strains that are resistant to the usual antimalarial drugs. Fortunately, new antimalarial drugs are coming onto the market all the time.
The possibility of malaria must be considered for everyone who falls ill with a fever within a few months of leaving the tropics. The only correct course of action is to demonstrate or rule out malaria.
Malaria is a notifiable disease group C. The laboratory where the pathogen was found and the doctor have to report this to the Public Health Service. The GGD reports anonymously in accordance with the Public Health Act and provides data for the national surveillance of notifiable diseases.
This test is done by the thick drop method. Please follow the instructions for sending the sample and have the blood drawn preferably on Monday or Tuesday.
Plasmodium malaria diagnostics (immunological) EDTA blood is looked for:
- plasmodium falciparum ag.
- plasmodium vivax ag.
- plasmodium malariae ag.
- plasmodium ovale ag.
