Evaluation of Malaria Microscopy Diagnostic Performance at 40 Public Health Facilities in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire in 2020

• Published in: Acta parasitologica Vol. 69; no. 1; pp. 541 - 548
• Main Authors: Fulgence, Kassi Kondo, Massafoma, Koné Estelle Gnanyo, Sebastien, Miezan Assohoun Jean, Alain, Gnamian Nouveau Kanzin, Akoua, Valerie Bedia-Tanoh, Etienne, Angora Kpongbo, Abibatou, Konaté, Henriette, Vanga-Bosson Abo, Marie, Kiki-Barro Pulchérie Christiane, Vincent, Djohan, William, Yavo, Hervé, Menan Eby Ignace
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.03.2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animal Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography; Biology; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Blood; Cote d'Ivoire - epidemiology; Diagnosis; Ecology; Health care facilities; Health Facilities; Human diseases; Humans; Laboratories; Laboratories - standards; Malaria; Malaria - diagnosis; Malaria - parasitology; Medical Microbiology; Microbiology; Microscopy; Microscopy - methods; Original Paper; Parasites; Parasitology; Plasmodium - classification; Plasmodium - isolation & purification; Plasmodium falciparum; Plasmodium falciparum - isolation & purification; Plasmodium ovale; Plasmodium ovale - isolation & purification; Public Health; Public sector; Thick films; Thin films; Vector-borne diseases; Cote d'Ivoire; Ivory Coast; Thick-thin blood smear; Laboratories; Quality control; Public health facilities; Abidjan; Malaria microscopy diagnostic performance; Côte d’Ivoire
• ISSN: 1230-2821; 1896-1851; 1896-1851
• DOI: 10.1007/s11686-023-00754-2

Purpose Microscopic diagnosis of Giemsa-stained thick and thin blood films remained the gold standard laboratory method for the diagnosis of malaria. In this context, we felt it was important to conduct this evaluation with 40 public medical biology laboratories (MBLs) in the Abidjan 1 health region that perform blood parasitology tests to improve their implementation process. Methods This descriptive and analytical study took place in July 2020 and involved participating laboratories (PLs) from the public sector in Abidjan. A set of 3 blood smear slides of variable parasite densities (PDs) with assigned values (AVs) of parasite densities and assigned Plasmodium species was used. The criterion for establishing the parasite density compliance interval was assigned values of ± 25%, and the performance rates were compared to the 80% recommended by the WHO for the African region. Results Nearly a quarter (11/40) of the participating laboratories had a compliance rate greater than 80%, including 10 with a performance of 100% for the ability to identify parasites. Regarding identifying plasmodial species, a concordance rate of 100% was obtained for slide 1 for Plasmodium falciparum, while this rate was 20% for slide 2 for Plasmodium ovale . For parasite densities < 200/µl, 87.5% of the participating laboratories (PLs) had a performance rate lower than 80%, while 95% of these PLs had a performance rate higher than 80% for parasitaemia > 2000/µl. Conclusions There is a need to strengthen adapted to low parasitaemia, to improve the biological confirmation of malaria in Côte d’Ivoire.