Mboera 2006a.

Clinical features and settings	Presenting signs and symptoms: Fever Previous treatment for malaria: No exclusions based on previous treatment, and no data presented on previous use of antimalarials Clinical setting: Hospitals, health centres and dispensaries Country: Tanzania, Babati Malaria endemicity: Prevalence of infection varying from 1.3% in highlands to 62% in the lowlands Malaria endemic species:P. falciparum
Participants	Sample size: 308 Age: All age groups eligible. Actual age profile of participant population not presented. Sex: Both males and females eligible. Actual proportions of males and females in the participant population not stated. Co‐morbidities and pregnancy: No exclusion criteria based on co‐morbidities or pregnancy. No details of the frequency of these conditions in the participant population is presented. Parasite density of microscopy positive cases: Not presented
Study design	Enrollment was consecutive and prospective. One RDT was evaluated.
Target condition and reference standard(s)	Target condition: Malaria parasitaemia Reference standard: Microscopy thick and thin blood films Person(s) performing microscopy: Experienced microscopists Microscopy setting: Not stated Number of high power fields examined before declaring negative: 200 Number of observer or repeats: One Resolution of discrepancies between observers: Not applicable
Index and comparator tests	Commerical name of RDT: Paracheck Pf (Orchid Biomedical Systems, Goa, India) Parasite(s) designed to detect:P. falciparum Designated Type: Type 1 Batch numbers: Not stated Transport and storage conditions: Stored at 4 °C and used within one month of purchase Person(s) performing RDT: Local study team trained in the use of the RDT RDT setting: Not stated
Follow‐up	Not applicable
Notes	Source of funding: Italian cooperation and international water management institute through the system‐wide initiative in malaria and agriculture. Also the Sir Halley Stewart Trust for one author.
Table of Methodological Quality
Item	Authors' judgement	Description
Representative spectrum? All tests	Yes	Participants were a consecutive series who had a fever and were seeking treatment for suspected malaria
Acceptable reference standard? All tests	No	An experienced microscopist viewed at least 200 high power fields before declaring a slide negative; however their results were not verified by a second, independent reader
Partial verification avoided? All tests	Yes	All participants who received the index test also received the reference test
Differential verification avoided? All tests	Yes	The same reference test was used regardless of the index test results
Incorporation avoided? All tests	Yes	The index test does not form part of the reference standard
Reference standard results blinded? All tests	Yes	"The blood smears were examined by experienced microscopists who were unaware which samples had been found positive in the RDT and which negative"
Index test results blinded? All tests	Yes	"Local team member read the results independently and without knowledge of the microscopy results"
Uninterpretable results reported? All tests	Unclear	The numbers of participants originally enrolled in the study was not clearly stated, therefore it is unclear whether there were any exclusions due to invalid test results
Withdrawals explained? All tests	Unclear	The numbers of participants originally enrolled in the study was not clearly stated, therefore it is unclear whether there were any withdrawals