Rapid diagnosis of malaria is an important tool for effective treatment & to prevent complication of malaria & also to reduce mortality and morbidity caused by malaria. This study was taken to compare the efficacy of two methods available in our institutional set up i.e. thick & thin smear & Rapid diagnostic test kit to detect pLDH & HRP in blood of patient. A total of 235 samples were collected from patients of pyrexia suspected to be malaria by sign/symptoms for traditional microscopy: Thick & thin smears were prepared & stained with Leishman’s stain, taking thick smears as gold standard. Antigen detection was done using commercially available kits, out of 235 samples thick smear were positive in 46 cases & thin smear in 28 cases & antigen (Malariagen) were positive in 34 cases. Thin smears had a sensitivity & specificity of 60.86 % and100% respectively. Antigen detection had a sensitivity & specificity of 73.91 % and100% respectively.

Leishman’s stained thick smear although cost effective, is difficult to interpret unless seen by experienced microscopists & its time consuming & labour some technique were as antigen detection is rapid , simple, nonmicroscopic method , easy to interpret and can be done bedside of patients or during night calls or emergency.