# The reliability of malaria rapid diagnostic test kit for detecting P. falciparum PfHRP2 in dried blood spot samples preserved under different conditions and durations

## TL;DR

This study tested how well a malaria diagnostic test works with blood samples stored under different conditions and found that room temperature storage is reliable for up to 120 days.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates that room temperature is a cost-effective and reliable storage method for preserving PfHRP2 in dried blood samples for up to 120 days.

## Key findings

- PfHRP2 detection remained consistent from day 30 to 120 across all storage conditions.
- After 150 days, positivity rates dropped to 90%, 88.3%, and 80% at room temperature, 6°C, and -60°C, respectively.
- Room temperature storage is a practical and reliable option for preserving PfHRP2 for up to 120 days.

## Abstract

This study investigated the reliability of the malaria rapid diagnostic test (mRDT) kit for detecting Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein 2 (PfHRP2) in dried blood spot samples preserved under different conditions and durations.

Sixty whole blood samples (approx. 750 mL), which contained the PfHRP2 protein, were collected from patients with uncomplicated malaria. Fifteen dried blood samples (DBS) were made from each sample, making a total of 900 DBS. A set of five DBS each were stored at room temperature (25 °C), 6 °C and – 60 °C, for 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 days. PfHRP2 was detected in each stored DBS sample. Irrespective of sample storage conditions, PfHRP2 was reproducible from day 30 to 120. However, after storage for 150 days, the positivity rate reduced to 90%, 88.3% and 80% (p = 0.236) when samples were stored at room temperature, 6 °C and – 60 °C, respectively. Although the positivity rates were statistically similar, room temperature offers a cost-effective, equipment-free, and reliable method for preserving PfHRP2 for up to 120 days.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13104-025-07613-5.