Table 4

The slide positivity rate and accuracy of routine malaria microscopy compared to expert microscopy, stratified by age categories

Patients <5 years

n/N,% (95% CI)

Patients ≥5 years

n/N,% (95% CI)

All patients

n/N,% (95% CI)

Slide positivity rate

(routine microscopy)

20/48, 41.7 (25.7–57.5)

58/110, 52.7 (38.8–66.7)

78/158, 49.4 (36.7–62.1)

Slide positivity rate

(expert microscopy)

17/48, 35.4 (21.2–49.6)

12/110, 10.9 (4.8–17.0)

29/158, 18.4 (12.5–24.2)

Sensitivity

9/17, 52.9 (24.2–81.7)

8/12, 66.7 (35.6–97.7)

17/29, 58.6 (38.4–78.9)

Specificity

20/31, 64.5 (44.7–84.3)

48/98, 49.0 (34.6–63.3)

68/129, 52.7 (39.2–66.2)

PPV

9/20, 45.0 (18.3–71.7)

8/58, 13.8 (4.7–22.9)

17/78, 21.8 (11.0–32.6)

NPV

20/28, 71.4 (53.5–89.3)

48/52, 92.3 (84.8–99.8)

68/80, 85.0 (78.9–91.1)

Nankabirwa et al. Malaria Journal 2009 8:66   doi:10.1186/1475-2875-8-66