Skip to main content

Table 4 Likelihood ratios of positive test for presence of malaria if a high threshold is used to define a positive test. The sensitivity of the test is reduced, but less so for patients with malaria than for other infected individuals, and specificity is considered to be perfect (100%). Clinically useful tests are in bolded type, tests of intermediate utility are in standard type, clinically unhelpful tests in italics

From: Utility of the detection of Plasmodiumparasites for the diagnosis of malaria in endemic areas

Prevalence of infection in the general population

Sensitivity of test in patients with malaria: 0.80. Sensitivity of test in other infected patients:

 

0.60

0.40

0%

infinite

infinite

0.1%

1333

2000

1%

133

200

2%

67.7

100

5%

26.7

40.0

10%

13.3

20.0

15%

8.9

13.3

20%

6.7

10

30%

4.4

6.7

40%

3.3

5.0

50%

2.7

4.0

60%

2.2

3.3

70%

1.9

2.9

80%

1.7

2.5

90%

1.5

2.2