@ Jiang Kunpeng, I appreciate your contribution. Thank you.

Olajoju

Also consider verifcation of potential deletions in HRP2/3 before choosing one.

Dear Soniran,

Pf is the most prevalent species that commonly infect humans in West Africa. Since there have been revelations on Pf HRP2/3 deletions in many of the West African countries (please see the attached document), I would advise you consider antigen-based mRDTs (may be commercially available), or, use sensitive and specific mRDTs that detect other malaria antigens (multiple antigens detection) rather than HRP2/3.

Good Luck

Good info Dr Kassegne

@ Carola, I appreciate your contribution. This is important in view of public health concerns over deletion of Pfhrp 2/3 exons in the falciparum specie.

@ Kokouvi, the update is really useful because my study area is included as one of the countries where deletion of Pfhrp2 was reported.

In response to your advise that I consider antigen based mRDTs, please can you throw more light on this? Because my knowledge about malaria RDT (mRDT) is that they are all antigen-based. And since I am interested in sampling Plasmodium falciparum (Pf), is there any other mRDT that is specific for detecting Pf but not based on hrp2/3 antigen?

I look forward to your response please.

Soniran

Dear Soniran,

There might be ongoing studies for the validation of promising Pf antigens for the detection of anti-Pf antibodies in a very sensitive and specific RDT format. However, such antigen-based RDT to detect anti-Pf antibodies would be more appropriate for monitoring use in areas where malaria endemicity/transmission is low or in areas in elimination stage, rather than in malaria endemic areas (e.g. as sub-Sahara African countries).

In short, since hrp2/3 have been revealed under deletion in the area where the investigation will be conducted, for rapid diagnosis purposes, it would be advised:

parasite-specific pLDH RDT to target Pf lactate deshydrogenase or Pan pLDH which could detect all the four Plasmodium species (including Pf); which might be supplemented by molecular validation test using PCR to detect Pf-specific specimens.

Good Luck

Kokouvi

Dear Kokouvi,

Thanks for your candid advice.