The diagnosis of malaria infection using a solid-phase radioimmunoassay for the detection of malaria antigens. Application to the detection of Plasmodium berghei infection in mice.

A method has been devised to show that malaria parasites can be detected serologically in infected blood with a high degree of sensitivity. Using a murine malaria model, parasites were demonstrated in a solid-phase radio-immunoassay which measured antibody-binding inhibition. Lysed red blood cells (r.b.c.) were incubated with labelled specific antibody and were then reacted in antigen-coated tubes. The degree of inhibition of antibody binding in the tubes correlated with the level of parasitaemia in the test blood. Using homologous antisera the test detected infection at a level of 1 parasite/million r.b.c. The specificity of the method was shown by comparison of antibody-binding inhibition in normal and infected r.b.c. and in r.b.c. from non-infected mice with induced reticulocytosis. The sensitivity was shown in vitro in tests of serially diluted blood of high parasitaemia and in vivo for the detection of early infection. The presence of antibody in the test blood did not significantly affect the sensitivity of parasite detection.