Evaluation of automated loop-mediated amplification (LAMP) for routine malaria detection in blood samples of German travelers - A cross-sectional study.

Background: We assessed a commercial loop-mediated amplification (LAMP) platform for its reliability as a screening tool for malaria parasite detection.

Methods: A total of 1000 blood samples from patients with suspected or confirmed malaria submitted to the German National Reference Center for Tropical Pathogens were subjected to LAMP using the Meridian illumigene Malaria platform. Results were compared with microscopy from thick and thin blood films in all cases.