Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29378609›Full record

ReviewMalaria journal2018

Plasmodium vivax molecular diagnostics in community surveys: pitfalls and solutions.

Maria Gruenberg, Clara Antunes Moniz, Natalie Ellen Hofmann, Rahel Wampfler, Cristian Koepfli, Ivo Mueller, Wuelton Marcelo Monteiro, Marcus Lacerda, Gisely Cardoso de Melo, Andrea Kuehn and 2 more

Open access · goldAbstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Malaria journal, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 41 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
41citing papers in PubMed
7.4field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

41 citing papers in PubMed, 68 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Trial
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  4. High-AltitudeOpen forum infectious diseases · 2026
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  5. Review
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  7. Article
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  15. Malaria in areas under mining activity in the Amazon: A review.Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical · 2024
    Review
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.

Maria GruenbergSwiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, 4002, Basel, Switzerland.
Clara Antunes MonizSwiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, 4002, Basel, Switzerland.
Natalie Ellen HofmannSwiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, 4002, Basel, Switzerland.
Rahel WampflerSwiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, 4002, Basel, Switzerland.
Cristian KoepfliWalter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
Ivo MuellerWalter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
Wuelton Marcelo MonteiroFundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado (FMT-HVD), Manaus, Brazil.
Marcus LacerdaFundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado (FMT-HVD), Manaus, Brazil.
Gisely Cardoso de MeloFundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado (FMT-HVD), Manaus, Brazil.
Andrea KuehnFundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado (FMT-HVD), Manaus, Brazil.
Andre M SiqueiraFundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado (FMT-HVD), Manaus, Brazil.
Ingrid FelgerSwiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, 4002, Basel, Switzerland. ingrid.felger@swisstph.ch.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1255-2606
Fundação de Medicina Tropical · BRSwiss Tropical and Public Health Institute · CHWalter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research · AU

Funding

Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung 310030-159580Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung IZRJZ3_164184
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

A distinctive feature of Plasmodium vivax infections is the overall low parasite density in peripheral blood. Thus, identifying asymptomatic infected individuals in endemic communities requires diagnostic tests with high sensitivity. The detection limits of molecular diagnostic tests are primarily defined by the volume of blood analysed and by the copy number of the amplified molecular marker serving as the template for amplification. By using mitochondrial DNA as the multi-copy template, the detection limit can be improved more than tenfold, compared to standard 18S rRNA targets, thereby allowing detection of lower parasite densities. In a very low transmission area in Brazil, application of a mitochondrial DNA-based assay increased prevalence from 4.9 to 6.5%. The usefulness of molecular tests in malaria epidemiological studies is widely recognized, especially when precise prevalence rates are desired. Of concern, however, is the challenge of demonstrating test accuracy and quality control for samples with very low parasite densities. In this case, chance effects in template distribution around the detection limit constrain reproducibility. Rigorous assessment of false positive and false negative test results is, therefore, required to prevent over- or under-estimation of parasite prevalence in epidemiological studies or when monitoring interventions.

Indexed as

Malaria, VivaxMolecular Diagnostic TechniquesPublic HealthDNA, ProtozoanHumansPlasmodium vivaxRNA, Ribosomal, 18SDNA, ProtozoanRNA, Ribosomal, 18S18S rRNA transcriptsGametocytesLAMPMitochondrial DNAMolecular diagnosticsPlasmodium vivaxQuantificationSurveillance

Identifiers

PMID29378609
PMCPMC5789620
OpenAlexW2792511320

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.