Devising a cost-effective method to improve the specificity and sensitivity of malaria detection

Abstract

It has always been a challenge to increase the concentration of malaria parasites in blood without compromising on specificity. The conventional thick smear method is a good sensitive tool. But the disadvantage is that a lot of expertise and experience is needed to perform this. A pilot study was undertaken to improvise the quantitative buffy coat (QBC) method so that the advantages of both thick and thin smears could be combined