Can Rapid Malaria Diagnostic Tests Improve Health Outcomes In Practice?

A new study, carried out in primary care units in Zanzibar and published in this week’s issue of PLoS Medicine, evaluates the impact of rapid malaria tests on prescribing practice and clinical outcomes. The findings suggest that routine use of such tests may reduce the number of people who are inappropriately given antimalarial drugs. Currently, malaria in sub-Saharan Africa tends to be diagnosed on the basis of symptoms alone (i.e. fever).

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Filed under: Tropical on May 3rd, 2009