Towards harmonization of microscopy methods for malaria clinical research studies
Abstract
Microscopy performed on stained films of peripheral blood for detection, identification and quantification of malaria parasites is an essential reference standard for clinical trials of drugs, vaccines and diagnostic tests for malaria. The value of data from such research is greatly enhanced if this reference standard is consistent across time and geography. Adherence to common standards and practices is a prerequisite to achieve this. The rationale for proposed research standards and procedures for the preparation, staining and microscopic examination of blood films for malaria parasites is presented here with the aim of improving the consistency and reliability of malaria microscopy performed in such studies. These standards constitute the core of a quality management system for clinical research studies employing microscopy as a reference standard. They can be used as the basis for the design of training and proficiency testing programmes as well as for procedures and quality assurance of malaria microscopy in clinical research.
Citation
Research Malaria Microscopy Working Group , Dhorda , M , Ba , E H , Kevin Baird , J , Barnwell , J , Bell , D , Carter , J Y , Dondorp , A , Ekawati , L , Gatton , M , González , I , Guérin , P J , Incardona , S , Lilley , K , Menard , D , Nosten , F , Obare , P , Ogutu , B , Olliaro , P L , Price , R N , Proux , S , Ramsay , A R , Reeder , J C , Silamut , K & Sokhna , C 2020 , ' Towards harmonization of microscopy methods for malaria clinical research studies ' , Malaria Journal , vol. 19 , 324 . https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-020-03352-z
Publication
Malaria Journal
Status
Peer reviewed
ISSN
1475-2875Type
Journal article
Rights
Copyright © The Author(s) 2020. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
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