Rapid Diagnostic Testing forPlasmodium vivaxand Nonfalciparum Malaria in Endemic Areas

CLINICAL QUESTION: How sensitive and specific are rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for diagnosing Plasmodium vivax and nonfalciparum malaria in endemic areas? BOTTOM LINE: Vivax-specific RDTs were highly sensitive and specific when compared with microscopy (the gold standard) for detecting P vivax malaria. RDTs that can only distinguish Plasmodium falciparum from nonfalciparum malaria were less sensitive.