Malarial Parasite (MP)

Malarial parasite test helps to detect the presence of the malarial parasite in the blood. The malarial parasite is detected when an individual is suffering from malaria. Anopheles mosquito if infected with malaria can transfer the malarial parasite to human blood by its bite.

You’ll also get a blood test, which can tell your doctor:

• If the parasite is in your blood
• If certain medications will work against the parasite
• If your body has ever made antibodies to fight off malaria 

Additionally, your doctor will ask you about your medical history and any recent travel and do a physical exam.

The treatment your doctor recommends will depend on things like:

• The type of parasite you have
• How bad your symptoms are
• The geographic area where you got infected
• Your age 
• Whether you’re pregnant

The test is done with a blood sample. A needle is used to draw blood from a vein in your arm or hand. 

You don't need to prepare for this test. Be sure your healthcare provider knows about all medicines, herbs, vitamins, and supplements you are taking. This includes medicines that don't need a prescription and any illegal drugs you may use. 

Who needs to get tested for Malarial Parasite Test?

A person may need this test if you've been to an area where malaria is common and now have symptoms of the disease. Symptoms often appear 10 days to a month after infection. Symptoms include:

• Fever
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Chills
• Sweating
• Body aches
• Headaches
• General feelings of being sick

You may also need this test when donating blood to make sure your blood is safe. You may also have this test if you have an unexplained fever and it's possible that you have malaria, even if other tests for malaria were negative.

Why Malarial Parasite Test?

The Malarial parasite is done to

• To detect malaria
• To monitor the ongoing treatment for malaria

More about Malarial Parasite

Malaria is a serious and sometimes life-threatening tropical disease that is caused by plasmodium parasite and spreads through mosquitoes.Only female mosquitoes spread the malaria parasites. When a mosquito bites a person who has malaria, it drinks the person’s blood, which contains the parasites. When the mosquito bites another person, it injects the parasites into that person. That’s how the disease spreads.

Once the parasites enter your body, they travel to your liver, where they multiply. They invade your red blood cells, which carry oxygen. The parasites get inside them, lay their eggs, and multiply until the red blood cell bursts. This releases more parasites into your bloodstream. As they attack more of your healthy red blood cells, this infection can make you very sick.

Malaria isn’t contagious, meaning it can’t be spread from person to person. But it can be spread in the following ways:

• From a pregnant mother to their unborn baby
• Sharing needles
• Blood transfusions
• Organ transplant

Interpretation:

Test results may vary depending on your age, gender, health history, the method used for the test, and other things. Your test results may not mean you have a problem. Ask your healthcare provider what your test results mean for you. 

A normal test is negative, meaning that you don't have any Plasmodium parasites in your blood. A positive result means that you have the parasites in your blood and that you may have malaria.