The malaria antigen test can help diagnose and detect malaria in humans. This test involves blood samples from patients who may have only a few malaria symptoms. The malaria antigen test results are also available faster than those of most other tests.
How is Malaria Caused?
Malaria is a contagious disease caused by Plasmodium parasites. Female Anopheles mosquitos are the carriers of these parasites. Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, and Plasmodium Knowles are the four primary Plasmodium species known to infect humans. When a mosquito bites a human, the parasites enter the bloodstream and make their way to the liver.
Symptoms of Malaria
Malaria generally has an incubation period of 7 to 30 days. After the incubation period, the malarial parasites penetrate the red blood cells and cause their lysis between 48 to 72 hours, resulting in malaria symptoms. Few Plasmodium species can survive in the liver and re-enter the blood months or years after the initial infection. Malaria antigens can only be recognized after the parasites have incubated in the liver and entered red blood cells. Malaria symptoms include:
Fever
Headache
Chills
Sweating
Fatigue
Body pain
Some people experience gastrointestinal problems like diarrheic and vomiting. Doctors recommend malaria antigen tests based on these symptoms. The symptoms of malaria occur right after the parasites start leaving the liver and travel through the blood, wherein they multiply.
Process of Malaria Antigen Test
A tourniquet (elastic) band is tightly wrapped around the upper arm to collect the blood sample. The patient is said to make a fist. This facilitates the retention of blood in the veins, making it easier to collect blood. To minimize bacteria from getting into the vein, the skin is cleansed before inserting the needle. After inserting the needle into the vein in the arm, the blood sample will be collected in the vacutainer. Then, the blood sample will be examined and tested by the lab technician. One can get the result within 24 hours after the blood sample collection.
Make sure to choose a reputed diagnostic laboratory for malaria antigen tests that also has a reasonable price. Generally, a malaria antigen test doesn’t cost very high.