Prozone-like phenomenon in travellers with fatal malaria: report of two cases

Authors

  • Lurdes Santos Faculty of Medicine of University of Porto and São João Hospital Centre, Porto, Portugal
  • Nuno Rocha Pereira Faculty of Medicine of University of Porto and São João Hospital Centre, Porto, Portugal
  • Paulo Andrade Faculty of Medicine of University of Porto and São João Hospital Centre, Porto, Portugal
  • Paulo Figueiredo Dias Faculty of Medicine of University of Porto and São João Hospital Centre, Porto, Portugal
  • Carlos Lima Alves Faculty of Medicine of University of Porto and São João Hospital Centre, Porto, Portugal
  • Cândida Abreu Faculty of Medicine of University of Porto and São João Hospital Centre, Porto, Portugal
  • Rosário Serrão Faculty of Medicine of University of Porto and São João Hospital Centre, Porto, Portugal
  • Manuela Ribeiro São João Hospital Centre, Porto, Portugal
  • António Sarmento Faculty of Medicine of University of Porto and São João Hospital Centre, Porto, Portugal

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3855/jidc.5454

Keywords:

Malaria, rapid diagnostic tests, prozone effect, Plasmodium

Abstract

Malaria diagnosis remains a concern in non-endemic countries, with rapid diagnosis being crucial to improve patients’ outcome. Rapid diagnostic tests have high sensitivity but they also have flaws and false-negative results that might jeopardize malaria diagnosis. Some false-negative results might relate to a prozone-like effect. The authors describe two patients with false-negative rapid diagnostic tests in which a prozone-like effect might have been involved. The authors highlight that these tests should not be used without accompanying light microscopy observation of blood films and discuss potential benefits of using rapid diagnostic tests with more than one specific antigen for Plasmodium falciparum.

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Published

2015-03-15

How to Cite

1.
Santos L, Rocha Pereira N, Andrade P, Figueiredo Dias P, Lima Alves C, Abreu C, Serrão R, Ribeiro M, Sarmento A (2015) Prozone-like phenomenon in travellers with fatal malaria: report of two cases. J Infect Dev Ctries 9:321–324. doi: 10.3855/jidc.5454

Issue

Section

Case Reports