Hossain, M AAfroj, SRahman, M RYunus, E BSamad, RAsna, Z HAkter, SFaiz, M A2008-07-162009-05-272008-07-162009-05-272008-07-16Hossain MA, Afroj S, Rahman MR, Yunus EB, Samad R, Asna ZH, Akter S, Faiz MA. Evaluation of alternative diagnostic techniques for diagnosis of cerebral malaria in a tertiary referral hospital in Bangladesh. Mymensingh Medical Journal. 2008 Jul; 17(2): 180-5http://imsear.searo.who.int/handle/123456789/1359Mymensingh Medical Journal.Five alternative techniques for diagnosis of malaria were evaluated in 124 clinically diagnosed cerebral malaria cases admitted in a tertiary hospital in Bangladesh. Clinical diagnosis of cerebral malaria was done by WHO criteria. The tests were conventional routine malaria microscopy; prolonged microscopy; dipstick antigen capture assay (Para Sight TM-F test); pigments in peripheral leucocytes and routine microscopy repeated at 12 hours interval. First four tests were done at 0 hours of hospital admission and repeat routine microscopy was added at 12 hours interval. Diagnostic capability of the test was 64%, 65%, 69%, 27% and 63% respectively. None of the tests except pigments in peripheral leucocytes was superior at initial evaluation. Only the dipstick test added 5% more diagnostic possibility compared with routine microscopy as standard. Stratification of diagnostic capability in different ways improved diagnosis 15% and 11% in smear negative cases by dipstick and prolonged microscopy respectively. It was increased by 50% (5/10 patients) with dipstick test in the smear negative patients with history of anti-malarials prior to hospital admission.engAdolescentAdultAnimalsAntigens, ProtozoanBangladeshBrain Diseases --complicationsChildDNA, ProtozoanDiagnostic Techniques and Procedures --instrumentationFemaleGlasgow Coma ScaleHumansMalaria, Cerebral --complicationsMaleMicroscopyMiddle AgedParasitic Sensitivity TestsPlasmodium falciparum --isolation & purificationReagent Kits, DiagnosticRisk FactorsSensitivity and SpecificityJournal Article