Accuracy of an HRP-2/panLDH rapid diagnostic test to detect peripheral and placental Plasmodium falciparum infection in Papua New Guinean women with anaemia or suspected malaria

Table 3 RDT, LM and qPCR of peripheral blood and detection active P. falciparum placental infection on histology (n = 158)

	Placental infection (histology)		Sensitivity (%) (95 % CI)	Specificity (%) (95 % CI)	PPV (%) (95 % CI)	NPV (%) (95 % CI)
	Positive (n = 31)	Negative (n = 127)	Sensitivity (%) (95 % CI)	Specificity (%) (95 % CI)	PPV (%) (95 % CI)	NPV (%) (95 % CI)
RDT
Positive (n = 21)	14	7	45.2 (27.3, 64.0)	94.5 (89.0, 97.8)	66.7 (43.0, 85.4)	87.6 (80.9, 92.6)
Negative (n = 137)	17	117
LM
Positive (n = 16)	14	2	45.2 (27.3, 64.0)	98.4 (94.4, 99.8)	87.5 (61.7, 98.4)	88.0 (81.5, 92.9)
Negative (n = 142)	17	125
qPCR
Positive (n = 15)	13	2	41.9 (24.5, 60.9)	98.4 (94.4, 99.8)	86.7 (59.5, 98.3)	87.4 (80.8, 92.4)
Negative (n = 143)	18	125
LM + RDT
Positive (n = 25)	17	8	54.8 (36.0, 72.7)	93.7 (88.0, 97.2)	68.0 (46.5, 85.1)	89.5 (83.0, 94.1)
Negative (n = 133)	14	119

Performance characteristics of RDT and LM for detection of active placental malaria on placental histology. RDT rapid diagnostic test, LM light microscopy, qPCR real-time polymerase chain reaction, PPV positive predictive value, NPV negative predictive value. Sensitivities and specificities of RDT, LM and qPCR were not statistically different (all P > 0.05, Liddell’s exact test)

ISSN: 1475-2875