Table 1. Assay characteristics and limit of detection (LOD) of published P. falciparum detection assays.

Method	Template Molecule	Target Gene	Quantification	LOD (Parasites/μl Blood)	Reference
Nested PCR	DNA	18S rRNA, dhfr-ts, 28S rRNA, stevor	No	0.1–10	[17–22]
PCR	DNA	mitochondrial DNA	No	0.5	[42]
qPCR	DNA	18S rRNA, cox1, cytb	Yes	0.02–3	[23–31]
PCR-based	DNA	18S rRNA, cox1	Yes/No	0.5–1	[19,37–41]
LAMP a	DNA	18S rRNA, mitochondrial DNA	No	1–10	[32–35]
RPA a	DNA	18S rRNA	No	4	[36]
qRT-PCR	RNA	18S rRNA	Yes	0.002–0.02	[10–12]
(QT-)NASBA a	RNA	18S rRNA	Yes/No	0.02	[13–15]

^aIsothermal amplification process.

QT-NASBA, quantitative NASBA.