Basic Malaria Microscopy

Microscopists are vital to malaria programs, and their diagnostic and technical skills are relied on in both curative services and disease surveillance. Thus, training in malaria microscopy must be sound and must reach today's high standards.

This training package has been adjusted to meet the changes in the way malaria is diagnosed and treated. The training manual is divided in two parts: a Learner's Guide (Part I) and a Tutor's Guide (Part II). The package includes a CD-ROM, prepared by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which contains microphotographs of the different malaria parasite species and technical information in PowerPoint format, which can be shown during training sessions and referred to by the participants. Emphasis is placed on teaching and learning, including monitoring and evaluating individuals and the group during training.

The Tutor's Guide (Basic Malaria Microscopy, Part II) is designed to assist trainers instructing health workers in basic malaria microscopy. The participants should ideally also be given a copy each of the WHO Bench aids for malaria microscopy. If not, several copies should be made available as reference material, for use by the trainees.

This second edition of the Basic Malaria Microscopy package is a stand-alone product, providing all that is needed to conduct a complete training course. It still contains the beautiful and accurate water-colour illustrations prepared for the first edition of the manual by the late Yap Loy Fong. Experience has shown that colour drawings are best in training new recruits to recognize parasite stages and species, because single plane pictures help students to extrapolate from what they see under the microscope, focussed at a number of focal planes, to a complete view of the parasite. Later, they can move from drawings and use microphotographs, which will have an additional, positive impact. Thus, the training course is further strengthened if copies of the WHO Bench aids for malaria microscopy are also made available to trainees.

Link to Learner's guide: Basic Malaria Microscopy: Part I. Learner's Guide