PARASITE-SPECIFIC LACTATE-DEHYDROGENASE FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF PLASMODIUM-FALCIPARUM INFECTION IN AN ENDEMIC AREA IN WEST UGANDA

The measurement of parasite lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH) has been pres ented as an easy and rapid method for the diagnosis of malaria in huma ns. In order to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of such a tes t we examined blood samples from 429 Ugandan patients. While pLDH acti vity was significantly linked to parasitaemia, sensitivity and specifi city were found to be rather low at 58.8 and 62.2% respectively. The p ositive and negative predictive values failed to meet necessary standa rds. We conclude that the methods of measurement of pLDH activity in m alaria infection, although potentially useful for the fast diagnosis o f malaria, need to be improved to be of true value in endemic areas.