Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42177399›Full record

ArticleBMC infectious diseases2026

Evaluation of microscopy and first response™ malaria Ag PAN/Pf RDT compared to qPCR and hemoglobin levels in pregnant women at delivery in Busia County, Western Kenya.

Dickson Kipchirchir, Dancan M Wakoli, George Imbusi, Rakel Makandi, Everlyne Chimwani, Stellah A Chumbe, Musie Ghebremichael, John M Ong'echa, Joel L Bargul, Azza H Idris and 1 more

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Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Dickson KipchirchirDepartment of Biochemistry, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0006-4774-7859
Dancan M WakoliDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Egerton University, Nakuru, Kenya.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6938-1150
George ImbusiDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Egerton University, Nakuru, Kenya.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0001-6069-1419
Rakel MakandiDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Egerton University, Nakuru, Kenya.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0001-2294-9255
Everlyne ChimwaniDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, Siaya, Kenya.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0007-7605-854X
Stellah A ChumbeDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Egerton University, Nakuru, Kenya.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0000-9055-4805
Musie GhebremichaelThe Ragon Institute of Mass General Brigham, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8572-1944
John M Ong'echaCenter for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3928-6774
Joel L BargulDepartment of Biochemistry, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8573-6807
Azza H IdrisThe Ragon Institute of Mass General Brigham, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1847-5488
Bartholomew N OndigoDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Egerton University, Nakuru, Kenya. ondigo2002@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3607-9964

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe World Health Organization (WHO) recommends parasitological confirmation before treating suspected malaria cases. However, diagnosing malaria in pregnancy (MiP) remains challenging due to parasite sequestration in the placenta, which results in low peripheral parasite density often undetectable by point-of-care diagnostic tools. Studies have reported conflicting findings on the relationship between ABO blood groups, anaemia, and MiP. This study investigated the performance of microscopy and the First Response™ Malaria Ag PAN/Pf rapid diagnostic test (mRDT) compared to quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) in diagnosing MiP. It also explored the associations between MiP, ABO blood groups, and anaemia.

methodsThis cross-sectional study enrolled 236 women delivering at Sio Port and Port Victoria Sub-County Hospitals, Busia County, Kenya (April 2023-March 2024). Peripheral blood was tested for malaria using microscopy, mRDT, and qPCR while placental blood was analyzed using microscopy and qPCR. ABO blood groups and haemoglobin levels were determined from peripheral samples.

resultsPeripheral malaria prevalence was 7.2% (16/223), 8.1% (18/223), and 9.0% (20/223) as determined by microscopy, mRDT, and qPCR, respectively. Placental malaria prevalence was 7.2% (17/236) by microscopy and 15.7% (37/236) by qPCR. When compared with peripheral blood qPCR, mRDT demonstrated higher sensitivity (90% (95% CI: 0.77-1.0)) but lower specificity (80% (95% CI: 0.74-0.85)) than microscopy (80% (95% CI: 0.63-0.97) sensitivity; 89% (95% CI: 0.85-0.93) specificity). Plasmodium falciparum predominated in placental (58.8%, 10/17) and peripheral (81.3%, 13/16) samples by microscopy. Mean haemoglobin ± SD was 10.5 ± 1.45 g/dL, with 69.9% (95% CI 65.2-71.6) anaemia prevalence (Hb ≤ 11 g/dL). Blood group O + was most common among the participants (43.2%, 102/236). No significant associations were observed between MiP and ABO blood groups or anaemia (P > 0.05).

conclusionmRDTs demonstrated superior performance compared to microscopy in detecting malaria in pregnancy, although diagnostic limitations remain. Anaemia remained highly prevalent reflecting broader maternal health issues. These findings emphasize the need for integrated maternal health strategies during antenatal care in malaria endemic regions. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.

Indexed as

HemoglobinsMalaria, FalciparumMicroscopyPregnancy Complications, ParasiticReal-Time Polymerase Chain ReactionAdolescentAdultAnemiaAntigens, ProtozoanCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansKenyaPlasmodium falciparumPregnancyPrevalenceAntigens, ProtozoanHemoglobinsAnaemiaBlood groupKenyaMalaria in pregnancyMicroscopyqPCRRDTs

Identifiers

PMID42177399
PMCPMC13255313

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