Table 2.
Examples of target diseases for POC tests and microscopic parameters recommended for diagnosis. Numbers of fields to examine refers to the minimum to reach a negative diagnosis.
| Disease | Specimen | Diagnostic target | Recommended microscopy | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malaria | Blood | Parasite 1.5–2.5 m (ring stage) |
100 fields at 100x (thick smear) 800 fields at 100x (thin smear) |
34 |
| Trypanosomiasis | Blood | Elongated trypanosome 15–30 m x 1–3 m |
100 fields at 100x (thick smear) 800 fields at 100x (thin smear) |
6 |
| Tuberculosis | Sputum | Rod shaped bacilli 1–10 m long |
100 fields at 100x (bright field) 40 fields at 40x (fluorescence) |
33 |
| Cryptosporidium | Stool | Round oocysts 4–6 m diameter |
100 fields at 100x (bright field) 40 fields at 40x (fluorescence) |
8 |
| Giardia | Stool | Oval cysts 11–14 m major axis |
100x, 150 fields | 3 |