Evaluación de la prueba ICT malaria P.f./P.v. (AMRAD®) para la detección de P. falciparum y P. vivax en una zona endémica de la amazonía peruana

Objective: To assess the ICT MALARIA P.f/P.v (AMRAD®) in febrile patients in Loreto Department, Peru. Material and methods: A cross-sectional study performed in febrile (axillary temperature >37.5°C) patients with no apparent cause for the fever, from August to September 2000. A blood sample for performing thick smear examination was obtained. Well- trained personnel performed this test. Also, a field assistant performed the rapid test. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, accurateness and concordance index were calculated using the thick blood smear as the gold standard. Results: 79 patients were included (5 months - 70 years of age). Sensitivity and specificity for the AMRAD® were 60,0 and 70,0%, respectively. Positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy of the test were respectively 36,0, 88,8 and 70,9%. The test had poor concordance with the thick smear test (kappa=0,279). Conclusion: It is necessary to continue assessing rapid testing methods in order to have a timely diagnosis and early therapy for malaria.