Table 2.
Advantages and disadvantages of non-CRISPR-based detection techniques used in diagnosing tropical diseases.
| Tropical diseases | Diagnostics | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malaria | Light microscopy | The gold standard for Malaria diagnosis | High operator dependency and low sensitivity |
| Rapid diagnostic tests | Widespread use in Africa | Chances of false-positive and false-negative results | |
| Zika | Antibody-based serological tests | Readily available | False-positive results because of cross-reactivity with other flavivirus antigens |
| NASBA | RNA sensitivity | Inability to detect SNP | |
| Chikungunya | Serological test | Availability | Poor sensitivity, cross-reactions, and false-positive results |
| Rt-PCR, RT-LAMP | Real-time detection | Variable sensitivity | |
| HIV-AIDS | Western blot, ELISA, and radio-immunoprecipitation assay | Portable, POC testing | Inaccurate test results because of the window period |
| NAAT | Early diagnosis | Capable of detecting only HIV-1 | |
| Tuberculosis | Microscopy and traditional tests | Low cost and availability | Low specificity, inability to discriminate latent or progressive TB |
| Rabies | Rapid immunohistochemistry and direct fluorescent antibody tests, RT-PCR | Valid for detecting mild to severe clinical symptoms | Inability to detect early stages of infection |