Biomarkers for early malaria diagnosis
Scientists in Japan have developed a technique that could be used to diagnose malaria using a blood plasma sample just one day after infection.
It is vital to diagnose malaria as soon as possible to maximise the effectiveness of treatment. Currently, light microscopy is the main technique used for diagnosis in clinical settings but this is not reliable for diagnosing low levels of the Plasmodium parasite during early infection stages.
Research shows how scientists at Osaka University have used Raman spectroscopy to detect a by-product that results from infection with the parasite, instead of the parasite itself. Using this technique, they analysed plasma samples to detect changes in heme and hemazoin – chemicals that are released into the bloodstream when infected cells rupture – and showed that they could detect raised levels of hemozoin in infected mice just one day after infection.
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