Malarial parasite (MP) Blood test: Test Purpose, Preparation, Procedure & Price

Malaria still continues to pose a major public health problem in India, especially due to plasmodium falciparum. Malaria shows seasonal variations with increased intensity in rainy seasons. Usually, malaria presents as febrile...

What is MP blood test?

Malaria is a vector borne disease. It is caused by parasitic infection with plasmodium species (protozoa) and is transmitted through infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. There are five distinct species of plasmodium parasite that causes malaria in man, namely:

P. vivax
P. falciparum
P. ovale
P. malariae
P. knowlesi.

Malaria still continues to pose a major public health problem in India, especially due to plasmodium falciparum. Malaria shows seasonal variations with increased intensity in rainy seasons. Usually, malaria presents as febrile paroxysms (recurrent fever) with intermittent periodicity repeating every 3^rd or 4^th day depending upon the species of plasmodium parasite.

The clinical presentation of malaria varies depending upon:

Plasmodium species
Intensity of the infection
Immunity status of patient
Presence of other co-morbid conditions such as malnutrition or any other chronic illness.

MP blood test also known as malarial parasite blood smear test is used for the detection of malarial parasites in blood. There are two types of blood smears that are useful in searching for malarial parasites and identification of their different species, namely:

Thick smear: It is more reliable in searching for malarial parasite as more volume of blood is examined under each microscope field.
Thin smear: It is used for species identification of malarial parasite.

Why do I need a MP blood test?

Your health care professional may order a MP or malarial parasite smear test for you if you have:

Signs and symptoms such as:
- Fever
- Chills
- Sweating
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Lethargy
- Weakness
- Tiredness
- Headache
- Body ache
- Splenomegaly
- Jaundice
- Dry cough
- Abdominal discomfort
- Joint pain etc.
Routine monitoring purpose including:
- Before blood transfusion
- People travelling from malaria endemic zones
- To monitor efficacy of treatment in severe and complicated cases of malaria.

How do I prepare for MP blood test?

Follow these simple steps if you are going for Malarial parasite smear or MP blood test:

Take an appointment: Fix an appointment for MP test in a diagnostic lab to avoid waiting at the time of test.
Food: You can take your usual meals. Fasting is usually not required for MP blood test if done alone. However, MP blood test may be done in conjunction with other tests which may require fasting.
Medications: Inform your doctor about all the drugs and supplements that you are currently taking. Certain drugs may alter the test results. Your doctor may advice some modifications before the test if required.
Exercise: Avoid strenuous exercise before the test as it may alter test results.
Smoking: Avoid smoking before the test as it may affect the test results.

What is the procedure for MP blood test?

The procedure of Malarial parasite smear test/ MP test includes the following steps:

First a torniquet will be tied around your arm.
Then a cotton swab soaked with 70% alcohol is used to clean/disinfect the injection site before needle insertion.
Then a small needle will be inserted in the vein of your arm and required amount of blood is withdrawn from it and collected in a sterile test tube.
Then the needle is removed and an adhesive sticker is placed on the puncture site to prevent it from infections.
Sample is sent to laboratory for further processing and testing.
Thick and thin smears are prepared in the lab for detection of malarial parasites and identification of their species respectively.

Cost of MP blood test in Delhi?

Price of MP /malarial parasite test depends upon many factors such as city and locality. Different diagnostic labs charges according to the quality of machines they have and various offers that they are providing to their customers. Cost may also vary depending upon the type of test used for the diagnosis of Malaria.

Ganesh Diagnostic and Imaging centre (GDIC), Rohini also known as GDIC is currently offering 50% discounts on various tests including malaria test.

Our centers are NABH accredited and equipped with modern, highly expensive machines with latest cutting-edge technologies and highly skilled Radiologists and Pathologists.We follow strict aseptic conditions to prevent transmission of infections.

Charges of various tests used for screening and diagnosing Malaria at Ganesh Lab (GDIC) are as following:

Malarial Parasite (MP) Smear Test

~~Rs 200~~ – Rs 100 Book Now

Rapid Malaria Antigen Detection Test

~~Rs 640~~ – Rs 320 Book Now

Malaria Antibody IgG test

~~Rs 1100~~ – Rs 550 Book Now

Hurry! Grab the best deals now!

Related FAQs:

Which sample is required for Malarial parasite smear test?

Blood sample is required for preparing thick and thin slides in malarial parasite smear test.

How long does it take to get MP blood test report?

Malarial parasite (MP) smear test reports are usually available within 24 hours of blood sample collection.

What are the advantages of MP blood smear test?

Various advantages of malarial parasite smear test or simply MP test are as following:

Higher sensitivity.
Help in species identification.
Helps in quantification of parasitic load.
Demonstrate the different stages of malarial parasite.
Even at low infection densities malarial parasite can be detected.
More sensitive than the Rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) which are based on antigen detection.

What are the risks/side effects of MP blood test?

Malarial parasite blood test is a safe procedure with usually no side effects and is used for screening and evaluation of malaria. However, some individuals may experience few side effects as mentioned below:

Pain at injection site.
Hematoma
Multiple punctures to locate vein in those where veins are not easily accessible.
Bleeding at puncture site, especially patients having bleeding or clotting disorders or those on anticoagulant therapy.
Infection at puncture site
Thrombophlebitis.

Best diagnostic centre for MP blood test in Delhi?

Ganesh Diagnostic and Imaging center (GDIC) is considered as the best diagnostic lab for Malarial parasite (MP) blood test in Rohini, North-East Delhi. We have many branches in different locations of Delhi including Hari Nagar, Yamuna Vihar, Nangloi, Model Town and Mangol puri.

Ganesh lab (GDIC) is now considered one of the most popular diagnostic labs in Delhi as:

We provide high standard quality services to our patients.
Experience of 23+ years of services.
Our labs are NABH certified.
Facility of latest cutting-edge technologies.
Well-trained technicians.
Highly Skilled Radiologists and Pathologists
Genuine reporting and Patient satisfaction are our top priority.
We offer seamless integration between diagnosis and treatment planning.
Affordable Diagnostic lab with up to 50% discount on many tests. Currently, we are offering flat 50% discount on various types of Blood tests including malarial parasite (MP) test.
We are open 24X7 and 365 days.
You can also avail free Consultation with our Pathologist regarding any blood test or imaging scans.
We also offer facilities of online reporting, free home sample collection and free Ambulance services in Delhi, NCR.
We are empanelled with various departments and organizations. So, you can get the services at panel rate too.
Lakhs of satisfied customers.