Fluorescent Microscopy and Fluorescent Labelling for Malaria Diagnosis

Synonyms

Erythrocyte, or Red blood cell; Fluorophore, or Fluorochrome or Chromophore; Giemsa blood smear, or Malaria smear or Blood film

Definition

Fluorescent microscopy for malaria diagnosis is the use of a microscope fitted with a source of ultraviolet (UV) radiation to aid in the examination of fluorescent blood specimens to detect malaria parasites. It may involve fluorescent labelling, a process of covalently attaching a fluorophore to a target molecule generally done by using a reactive derivative of the fluorophore that selectively binds to a functional group (contained in the target molecule). The molecules to be labeled are antibodies, proteins, amino acids, and peptides, which are then used as specific probes for detection of a particular target. [A fluorophore is a fluorescent chemical compound that can reemit light upon light excitation.]

Introduction

Giemsa microscopy and other Romanowsky staining methods, despite being the gold standard for malaria diagnosis, have...