The importance of accuracy in diagnosis of positive malaria cases in a country progressing towards malaria elimination.

Background: With Sri Lanka aiming towards malaria elimination by 2015, the National Anti Malaria Campaign has stressed on the importance of identification of the species of Plasmodium either by examination of stained blood smears for malaria parasites or by Rapid Diagnostic Tests for malaria antigens before the initiation of treatment. This study aims at confirmation of the accuracy of clinical and/or microscopical malaria diagnosis using serology.

Materials And Methods: Study population comprised 51 individuals diagnosed with malaria either microscopically or clinically during the first half of 2011.