Validation of Microscope Equipped with a Versatile Illuminator (The Earl-Light) in Detecting Malaria Parasites

Abstract

Some malaria endemic areas of Thailand are remote areas having no electricity supply and need more competence device than natural light microscopy to improve malaria case detection. This study was to validate the microscope equipped with a versatile illuminator (the EARL-Light) in detecting malaria parasites. The study was conducted as a cross-sectional study to examine 800 field malaria suspected cases at Mae-Sod District, Tak Province, Northern Thailand. Thick blood films were examined by field technicians using either monocular or binocular microscopes equipped with the Earl Light illuminator compared to sunlight microscopes. Their results were evaluated with the results from experienced microscopists at the Laboratory Reference Center for Vector Borne Disease and the validities were evaluated. The result showed that the sensitivity of Earl Light equipped with binocular microscope was quite superior over that of the natural light one whereas this superiority was not obviously shown for monocular microscope. The major factor might be due to the experience in malaria diagnosis and unaccustomability of the users to this tool. The tool could use one pack of 4 A batteries for half a month. Most of the experimental users felt advantage to this tool but minors needed to improve the tool’s attribution. The tool would give some sort of extremely benefit to strengthen the routine diagnostic method to detect malaria cases in non electricity remote areas and binocular microscope equipped with this device is preferred to the monocular microscope. In addition, further validating study is needed to confirm for large scale applying in any malaria control program.