The main cause of malaria, a serious disease, is mosquito bites, which carry parasites. This parasite infects a person by destroying their red blood cells, leading to flu-like symptoms such as fever or chills. If you want to know the cause of the fever you can get fever profile test done at a good price.

In malaria, these symptoms can progress to diarrhoea, abdominal pain, fatigue, muscle or joint pain, rapid heart rate, and rapid breathing. Usually, an infected mosquito bite triggers the onset of symptoms within a few weeks.

Many types of malaria tests can provide a quick and accurate diagnosis, as improper treatment can lead to severe disease. There are several types of diagnostic tests available for malaria.

Blood Smear Microscopy

The standard method for diagnosing malaria is the microscopic examination of the blood smears. This method involves taking a small sample from a patient and sending it to a laboratory to determine the number of parasites present in the bloodstream. There are two types of blood smear tests—thick blood smear and thin blood smear. If the malaria parasite is present, a thick blood smear is more likely to detect it, while a thin blood smear identifies its species, a crucial step in the treatment process. This combination of malaria tests comprehensively evaluates the blood for malaria parasites.

Rapid Diagnostic Testing (RDTs)

When a reliable blood smear microscopic diagnosis is not available, rapid diagnostic testing is a useful option. RDTs can detect very small pieces of malaria parasites. These tests require a small sample of the patient's blood and provide results within 15–30 minutes. Because they require no special equipment and are easy to perform, they are particularly useful in remote areas. This makes RDTs an affordable malaria test price.

Molecular Tests

Molecular or PCR tests are more sensitive than blood smear tests and RDTs, but the test results take longer. A PCR test, on the other hand, can detect the exact species of the parasite if a microscopic blood smear test is unable to do so. Additionally, this test can detect very low parasite levels.

This method involves extracting DNA from the patient's blood and then using special enzymes and temperatures to make many copies of the DNA. If the parasite’s DNA is present, the PCR will produce millions of copies, making it easy to detect.

Diagnosing malaria and the parasite involves a combination of clinical assessment and diagnostic tests. The test choice depends on the patient's condition, resource availability, and the prevalence of malaria species in the area. Early and accurate malaria diagnosis is critical for effective treatment and control of the disease.