Malaria rapid test
Definition - What is a rapid malaria test?
The malaria rapid test is a test for the detection of malaria antigen in the blood, which provides a test result within a few minutes.
Malaria is an infectious disease that occurs in tropical areas and is transmitted to humans by a mosquito. The mosquitoes transmit parasites when they bite (Plasmodia) that trigger the disease. Fever attacks and changes in the blood count are characteristic of malaria.
Read more on the subject at: malaria
How does the malaria rapid test work?
The malaria rapid test detects either LDH, an enzyme of the malaria pathogens, or plasmodia antigen in the blood.
A small drop of blood, which can be obtained from the finger with a small prick, is sufficient for the implementation. With the help of a small pipette, the blood is then applied to the test strip and a few drops of a buffer solution are added.
The test result can be read after a waiting time of about 10-15 minutes. Similar to a pregnancy test, this works with two lines. A control line should appear in any case. This indicates that the test worked properly. If a second line appears, the test result is considered positive.
Where can I buy the malaria rapid test?
The malaria rapid test is also available online in many pharmacies. However, in order to make a reliable diagnosis, a test for malaria should always be carried out by qualified personnel. If the test result is positive in the rapid test, a new test should be carried out in the laboratory. Therapy can also only be prescribed by a doctor, so it is often worthwhile to have the malaria test carried out directly by the doctor.
Is the test only available in the pharmacy?
No, the test is available from various providers in pharmacies as well as on the Internet.
What does a malaria rapid test cost?
The prices for a malaria rapid test vary, depending on the manufacturer, between 30-50 €. Usually packs with several test strips are also sold because the tests are not actually intended for private use.
How accurate is a malaria rapid test?
All the tests available on the market are relatively accurate. However, it is possible that a false negative result can arise due to a too low number of parasites. An exact differentiation of the malaria species is also not possible with the malaria rapid test.
Do I need a rapid malaria test when traveling to certain countries?
A rapid malaria test is not necessarily recommended when traveling to certain areas. When traveling to malaria endemic areas, however, it is recommended to carry a medication against malaria with you as a so-called stand-by medication and to take it if symptoms occur. A malaria rapid test can definitely help when deciding whether or not to take this drug. Therefore, it can be useful to have a quick test with you when traveling to malaria risk areas.
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