Table 3 Current practice in laboratories for identification of malaria parasite in Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia, 2006 (N = 29)
Variables | Frequency |
|---|---|
Availability of staining reagent | Â |
 Yes | 23 (79.3) |
 No | 6 (20.7) |
Utilization of new slides for each sample | Â |
 Yes | 5 (17.2) |
 No | 24 (82.8) |
Participation in epidemic investigation and/or control program | Â |
 Yes | 14 (48.0) |
 No | 15 (52.0) |
Previous participation on refresher training on malaria microscopy | Â |
 Yes | 3 (10.3) |
 No | 26 (89.7) |
Blood smear used | Â |
 Thick | 7 (24.1) |
 Thin | 8 (27.6) |
 Both | 14 (48.0) |
Quality control program done so far regarding blood smear | Â |
 Yes | 6 (20.7) |
 No | 23 (79.3) |
Do you report species, stages and parasite density? | Â |
 Yes | 28 (96.6) |
 No | 1 (3.4) |
Methods of parasite quantification | Â |
 Plus system of quantitation | 27 (93.1) |
 Counting parasites/μl | 2 (6.9) |
Mean (range) number of blood films examined/day | Â |
 Per institution | 46.5 (7-175) |
 Per individuals | 23.5 (1-87) |
Number of positives/day | Â |
 Mean (range) | 18.8 (0-120) |
  0-40 | 22 (75.9) |
  41-80 | 5 (17.2) |
  ≥80 | 2 (6.9) |
Time spent to read a single blood film (in minutes) | Â |
 Mean (range) | 10.8 (2-45) |
  2-20 | 17 (58.6) |
  21-39 | 10 (34.5) |
  ≥40 | 2 (6.9) |