Abstract: Objective To compare the effects of microscopic examination, rapid diagnostic test ( RDT) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in detection of plasmodium for rational determination of diagnostic methods on grass-root level basis. Methods Blood samples were obtained in patients with fever in Tengchong city from 2015 to 2018 for malaria de- tection. The indexes, including sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were analyzed and compared among the three testing techniques based on the final diagnosis. Results Of the 610 blood samples, 295 were negative and 315 positive, in which 67 samples were associated with Plasmodium falciparum , 245 with Plasmodium vivax, 2 with mixed infections, and 1 with Plasmodium malariae. Compared with the final diagnosis, the sensitivity was 95. 87% , 94. 60% and 99. 37% for microscopy, RDT and PCR, respectively, and specificity was 100% for the three methods. The false negative rate was 4. 13% , 5. 40 and 0. 63% , and negative predictive value was 95. 78% , 94. 55% and 99. 33% , respectively for microscopy, RDT and PCR. False positive rate was 0, and positive predictive value 100% for the three techniques. The total coincidence rate was 97. 87% , 97. 70% and 99. 67% , respectively, for microscopy, RDT and PCR. Kappa analysis dem- onstrated that the results tested by the three methods were highly consistent with the final findings (P<0. 001). Coincidence rate by microscopy, RDT and PCR in single species of falciparum was 88. 06% , 100% and 97. 01% , and 97. 97% , 93. 9% and 100% , respectively in other three species of falciparium. Conclusion The three detection methods have high sensitivity and specificity, yet RDT is worthy of wider recommendation on grass-root level by taking the real practice in current prevention and control of malaria into consideration.

Key words: Malaria, Microscopy, Rapid diagnostic test, PCR