Point prevalence of asymptomatic Plasmodium infection and the comparison of microscopy, rapid diagnostic test and nested PCR for the diagnosis of asymptomatic malaria among children under 5 years in Ghana.

The findings of this study indicate a high point prevalence of asymptomatic Plasmodium infection among children in Atwima Nwabiagya North district, Ghana. In the absence of the more sensitive PCR, pfHRP-2-based malaria RDT provides substantial diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and reliability and is superior to microscopy.