Volume 3 • Issue 7 • 1000153 J Bacteriol Parasitol ISSN:2155-9597 JBP an open access journal Research Article Open Access Kimbi et al., J Bacteriol Parasitol 2012, 3:7 DOI: 10.4172/2155-9597.1000153 Keywords: Evaluating; Performance characteristics; Partec CyScope®; Asymptomatic malaria; Diagnosis; Cameroon Introduction Malaria is responsible for high rates of morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa leading to over one million deaths annually [1]. It is the most common single diagnosis made in most African countries and is responsible for 40% hospital attendance in Southwest Cameroon [2]. One of the contributing factors to these high rates of morbidity and mortality is delayed or inaccurate results as malaria presents a diagnostic challenge to laboratories in endemic countries. Te diagnosis of malaria in many areas still relies predominantly on its clinical presentation which has limited specifcity [3] hence many cases go undiagnosed and sometimes untreated. Te key to efective management of malaria is prompt and accurate diagnosis. Te WHO [4] recommends that malaria case management where possible should be based on parasitological diagnosis, except when considering young children in endemic areas where lack of resources or urgency of response temporarily limits its application. Tis is important in order to avoid the unnecessary use of anti-malarial drugs especially the recently introduced artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) as this could lead to the development of drug resistance. Terefore, the priority of the Roll Back Malaria Program for endemic countries needs to be a balance between the unnecessary use of ACTs and case management [5,6]. Examination of blood smears using light microscopy remains the gold standard for malaria diagnosis, but it is labour intensive, requires skilled microscopists and generally there is limited supply and maintenance of microscopes and reagents thus leading to delays in delivery of results. New Rapid Diagnostic Techniques (RDTs) have been developed and evaluated in recent years to overcome the limitations of light microscopy. However, the rapid introduction, withdrawal and modifcation of commercially available RDTs, variable quality control in manufacturing, and potential decrements in test performance related to the stability of stored test kits have rendered these reviews obsolete [7]. Te Partec CyScope® (fuorescent microscope) has recently been introduced into the market as an alternative for the rapid diagnosis of malaria (a special RDT meant to overcome the defciencies of test kits). Te method has been used in malaria endemic countries such as Ghana [8,9] and Sudan [5,10]. No study has been done using this method in the Mount Cameroon region to evaluate the performance characteristics of the technique. Tis needs to be done particularly as high rates of asymptomatic malaria have been reported in this area [11- 13]. Tus, the aim of this study was to determine asymptomatic malaria prevalence and density and evaluate the performance characteristics of the Partec CyScope® in school children in the Mount Cameroon region using light microscopy as a gold standard. Materials and Methods Study site Te study was carried out in the Mount Cameroon region in two primary schools (Government Practicing School Molyko, and Government School Bomaka). Malaria is endemic in the Mount *Corresponding author: Helen K Kimbi, Department of Zoology and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, P.O. Box 63, Buea, SWR, Cameroon, Tel: +237 7783 66 03/9403 53 55; Fax: +237 3332 22 72; E-mail: hkimbi@yahoo.co.uk Received September 10, 2012; Accepted September 26, 2012; Published September 30, 2012 Citation: Kimbi HK, Ajeagah HU, Keka FC, Lum E, Nyabeyeu HN, et al. (2012) Asymptomatic Malaria in School Children and Evaluation of the Performance Characteristics of the Partec Cyscope ® in the Mount Cameroon Region. J Bacteriol Parasitol 3:153. doi:10.4172/2155-9597.1000153 Copyright: © 2012 Kimbi HK, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Abstract The key to the effective management of malaria is prompt and accurate diagnosis followed by effective treatment. The aim of this study was to determine asymptomatic malaria parasite prevalence and density and evaluate the performance characteristics of the Partec CyScope ® (fuorescent microscope) in school children in the Mount Cameroon region using light microscopy as a gold standard. A total of 541 pupils aged 4 – 16 years were recruited into the study. After recording demographic data on each child, capillary blood was collected for the preparation of thin and thick blood flms for the assessment of parasite density and speciation respectively. Five µl of blood was placed on the dye-labeled portion of the slide, cover-slipped, incubated for 1 minute and observed under the CyScope ® for parasites. Performance characteristics of CyScope ® were calculated. The overall prevalence of malaria was 64.0% and 58.4% for light microscopy and Partec CyScope ® respectively. The overall geometric mean parasite density (GMPD) was 2255.22 (range 320-35040). The sensitivity of the test was 91.3% while the specifcity was 86.7%. The Partec CyScope ® showed a relatively high sensitivity and specifcity in diagnosing malaria in school children and could therefore be used in mass surveillance programmes for the management and control of malaria. Asymptomatic Malaria in School Children and Evaluation of the Performance Characteristics of the Partec Cyscope  in the Mount Cameroon Region Helen Kuokuo Kimbi 1 *, Hilda Uforka Ajeagah 1 , Frederick Chi Keka 1 , Emmaculate Lum 1 , Hervé Nyabeyeu Nyabeyeu 2 , Calvin Fotsing Tonga 1 , Asaah Humphrey Gah 2 and Leopold Gustave Lehman 2 1 Department of Zoology and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, P.O. Box 63, Buea, SWR, Cameroon 2 Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Douala, P.O. Box 2701, Douala, Cameroon J o u r n a l o f B a c t e r i o l o g y & P a r a s i t o l o g y ISSN: 2155-9597 Journal of Bacteriology and Parasitology