A novel field-based molecular assay to detect validated artemisinin-resistant k13 mutants.

The K13 ready-to-use bMx prototype assay, considered by the end-users as a user-friendly assay to perform (in shorter time than the K13 reference assay) and easy to interpret, was found to require less budget planning and had fewer logistical constraints. Its excellent performance qualifies the prototype as a reliable screening tool usable in malaria endemic countries recognized to be at risk of emergence or spread of validated k13 mutants. Additional multi-site studies are needed to evaluate the performances of the K13 bMx prototype assay in different epidemiological contexts such as Africa, India, or South America.