Unmasking Malaria: Microscopy and nPCR Reveal the Hidden Misdiagnosis of

Sisay Getie, Gebeyaw Getnet Mekonnen, Ligabaw Worku, Meseret Birhanie, Aline Lamien Meda, Aberham Abere, Harald Noedl

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in Interdisciplinary perspectives on infectious diseases, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

1citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

Unmasking Malaria: Microscopy and nPCR Reveal the Hidden Misdiagnosis ofInterdisciplinary perspectives on infectious diseases · 2026
Article

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

7 authors.

Sisay GetieDepartment of Medical Parasitology, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Science, College of Medicine and Health Science, University of Gondar, P.O. Box 196, Gondar, Ethiopia, uog.edu.et.

Gebeyaw Getnet MekonnenDepartment of Medical Parasitology, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Science, College of Medicine and Health Science, University of Gondar, P.O. Box 196, Gondar, Ethiopia, uog.edu.et.

Ligabaw WorkuDepartment of Medical Parasitology, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Science, College of Medicine and Health Science, University of Gondar, P.O. Box 196, Gondar, Ethiopia, uog.edu.et.

Meseret BirhanieDepartment of Medical Parasitology, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Science, College of Medicine and Health Science, University of Gondar, P.O. Box 196, Gondar, Ethiopia, uog.edu.et.

Aline Lamien MedaInstitute for Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria, meduniwien.ac.at.

Aberham AbereDepartment of Medical Parasitology, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Science, College of Medicine and Health Science, University of Gondar, P.O. Box 196, Gondar, Ethiopia, uog.edu.et.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1886-2373

Harald NoedlInstitute for Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria, meduniwien.ac.at.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Pediatric populations in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are particularly susceptible to malaria, contributing significantly to malaria-related mortality. Accurate diagnosis of Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 302 malaria-suspected participants from March to October 2015 in Northwest Ethiopia. Capillary blood samples were collected from each study participant to detect Results: The prevalence of malaria was found to be 22.2% and 18.2% by microscopy and nPCR, respectively. Among those diagnosed by nPCR, 19.2% were males and 17.3% were females, with the highest prevalence (25.6%) observed in pediatric aged ≥ 5 years. Age, not using bed nets, and awareness of signs and symptoms of malaria were significantly associated with Conclusion: This study emphasizes the complex challenges of malaria infections in pediatric populations, worsened by restricted access to universal health coverage, which impedes efforts to reduce new infections. Furthermore, immediate actions should prioritize enhancing routine microscopic practical skills, regular quality control, and strict adherence to standardized operating procedures (SOPs) for slide preparation and examination.

Indexed as

microscopymisdiagnosisNorthwest EthiopianPCRpediatricPlasmodiumprevalencerisk factors

Identifiers

PMID41767755

DOI10.1155/ipid/9983415

PMCPMC12936388

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.