Efficiency of a Malaria-Reactive Test-and-Treat Program in Southern Zambia: A Prospective, Observational Study.
This study evaluated the efficiency of this reactive test-and-treat strategy by characterizing infected individuals missed by the RDT and the current screening radius. The radius was expanded to 250 m, and a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) test was performed on dried blood spot specimens. From January 2015 through March 2016, 145 index cases were identified at health centers and health posts. A total of 3,333 individuals residing in 525 households were screened. Excluding index cases, the parasite prevalence was 1.1% by RDT (33 positives of 3,016 participants) and 2.4% by qPCR (73 positives of 3,016 participants). Of the qPCR-positive cases, 62% of 73 individuals tested negative by RDT. Approximately half of the infected individuals resided within the index case household (58% of RDT-positive individuals and 48% of qPCR-positive individuals). The low sensitivity of the RDT and the high proportion of secondary cases within the index case household decreased the efficiency of this reactive test-and-treat strategy. Reactive focal drug administration in index case households would be a more efficient approach to treating infected individuals associated with a symptomatic case.
PMID: 29557330 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene - Category: Tropical Medicine Authors: Deutsch-Feldman M, Hamapumbu H, Lubinda J, Musonda M, Katowa B, Searle KM, Kobayashi T, Shields TM, Stevenson JC, Thuma PE, Moss WJ, For The Southern Africa International Centers Of Excellence For Malaria Research Tags: Am J Trop Med Hyg Source Type: research
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