Rapid, sensitive and cheap molecular diagnosis of malaria: is microscopy on the way out?

PCR amplification of Plasmodium DNA provides optimal diagnostic sensitivity and accuracy. However, reagent and equipment costs, the need for highly skilled technicians and the turnaround times of PCR assays preclude PCR from challenging the pre-eminence of microscopy as a primary method in malaria diagnostics. In this report, Han and colleagues describe an amplification protocol (loop-mediated isothermal amplification) applicable to the four Plasmodium species that infect humans, which equals PCR in sensitivity and specificity, but at a fraction of the cost and with turnaround times equal to those of microscopic examination of blood smears.