Comparison between conventional and QBC methods for diagnosis of malaria.

Stained blood film examination is a widely used technique for the diagnosis of malaria. Comparison of this technique was made with the QBC method, which is based on fluorescent staining of the blood cells and parasites. Of the 1435 blood samples studied, 57 (3.97%) samples were positive for malarial parasites by QBC method, while only 44 (3.07%) samples were positive by the blood film examination. Plasmodium vivax was detected in 27 (47.37%), P. falciparum in 26 (45.61%) and mixed infection of P. vivax and P. falciparum in 4 (7.02%) cases. Samples with low levels of parasitaemia (QBC grades 1+ and 2+) were often found to be negative by blood film examination. QBC method was easy to perform, had a higher sensitivity and could be interpreted rapidly, as compared to the Leishman stained blood film examination.