SAVINGS FROM USE OF MALARIA RDTs

Tuesday, 28th of August 2012

SAVINGS FROM USE OF MALARIA RAPID DIAGNOSTIC TESTS

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2012 Jul 30. [Epub ahead of print]

Reductions in Artemisinin-Based Combination Therapy Consumption after the Nationwide Scale up of Routine Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Testing in Zambia

Yukich JO, Bennett A, Albertini A, Incardona S, Moonga H, Chisha Z, Hamainza B, Miller JM, Keating J, Eisele TP, Bell D.

Source

Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana; Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND), Geneva, Switzerland; Ministry of Health, National Malaria Control Centre, Lusaka, Zambia; Akros Research, Lusaka, Zambia; PATH Malaria Control and Evaluation Partnership in Africa (MACEPA), National Malaria Control Centre, Lusaka, Zambia.

Abstract below; full text is at http://www.ajtmh.org/content/early/2012/07/26/ajtmh.2012.12-0127.long

The National Malaria Control Center of Zambia introduced rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) to detect Plasmodium falciparum as a pilot in some districts in 2005 and 2006; scale up at a national level was achieved in 2009. Data on RDT use, drug consumption, and diagnostic results were collected in three Zambian health districts to determine the impact RDTs had on malaria case management over the period 2004-2009. Reductions were seen in malaria diagnosis and antimalarial drug prescription (66.1 treatments per facility-month (95% confidence interval [CI] = 44.7-87.4) versus 26.6 treatments per facility-month (95% CI = 11.8-41.4)) pre- and post-RDT introduction. Results varied between districts, with significant reductions in low transmission areas but none in high areas. Rapid diagnostic tests may contribute to rationalization of treatment of febrile illness and reduce antimalarial drug consumption in Africa; however, their impact may be greater in lower transmission areas. National scale data will be necessary to confirm these findings.

Malar J. 2012 Jul 2;11(1):221. [Epub ahead of print]