Malaria, dengue detection made easy

Doctors evolve mathematical formula to pinpoint most likely cause of fever

Patients suffering from high fever are often put through a series of tests to detect the cause of fever. They end up spending a few thousand rupees on diagnostic tests (malaria test costs up to Rs 750 and the one for dengue costs up to Rs 4,500). What's more, their treatment gets delayed pending cofirmatory tests. But now there is now hope for such patients whose suffering is prolonged owing to the number of tests they undergo.

How the new formula helps
 
Present scenario:

  • Patient suffers high grade fever, chills and bodyache
  • Patient suspected for either malaria or dengue or viral fever
  • Antibiotics instituted for patients till specific results come in
  • Common tests ordered for all patients:
    1. Complete blood count
    2. Peripheral blood smear for malarial parasite
    3. Malaria antigen.
    4. Blood culture.
    5. NSI antigen for dengue
    6. Dengue serology
    7. Urine (routine & microbiology)
    8. Chest X-ray
  • Proper treatment starts after confirmation

Future scenario:

  • Patient suffers high grade fever, chills and bodyache
  • New test performed: Complete Blood Count + VCS indices in LH750 Analyzer
  • Results in 1 hour
  • Disease pattern found
  • Proper treatment in most cases starts
  • One of the following tests to be conducted for confirmation:
    1. Dengue Serology & NS1 Antigen tests
    2. Malaria Parasite (MP) & Malarial Antigen tests
    3. No specific tests needed
 
High rate of success
Malaria and dengue cases and deaths in India
  2009
case/death
2010 2011 2012 2013
Malaria 1,563,574/1144 1,599,986/1,018 1,310,656/754 1,066,981/519 200,048/51
Dengue            15,535/96 28,292/110 18,860/169 50,222/241 11,591/41

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