100% Malaria Detection in one minute!!

By the lifesaving QBC Quick blood test What is the QBC Test QBC stands for Quantitative Buffy Coat analysis. This test involves visualization of the 3 constituent layers of blood formed, when blood is spun at high speeds within micro capillary glass tubes .The 3 constituent layers thus formed are:- The uppermost Plasma Layer; The middle layer made up of White Blood Cells(WBCs)& platelets, the so called Buffy Coat& the lower most Red Blood Cell(RBCs) termed as the Packed Red Cell layer. Because of high speed churning of blood, malarial parasites if present , get concentrated at a particular area within these 3 layers of blood, and can be instantly targeted when microcapillary tubes are examined by Fluorescence Microscopy( see below).

How does QBC Work A fixed amount of blood is taken into microcapillary glass tubes[ 7cm long with internal diameter of 2 mm]. These tubes are internally precoated with fluorescent chemical Acridine Orange, which stains the parasites if present in blood.The tubes are then sealed below by a plastic cap,while into upper end is inserted a precision calibrated transparent piece of plastic [2.0 cms x 1 mm] called the Float. Tubes are then spun at high speeds of 12,500 revs/min in a microcentrifuge for 5 mins. Follow spinning, the blood separates into its 3 constituent layers: Plasma ; BuffyCoat & Packed Red Cells.The tubes are then mounted under a fluorescent microscope for parasite detection.

Instant parasite detection in 1 minute!!!! Malarial parasites infect only Red Blood Cells (RBCs). Following high speed spinning, the infected RBCs(being lighter than normal RBCs, but heavier than WBCs)get concentrated exactly at the Buffy Coat- Packed Red Cell Junction.Visualization of this crucial junction is possible, solely due to its expansion & magnification by the transparent Plastic Float[which settles post spinning at this position]. Since parasites in blood are already stained before spinning, these are detected instantly because they exhibit fluorescence when under the microscope . In frankly positive cases diagnosis is achieved within 1 min!!!,while in early or mild infections where parasites are few to occasional, detection many take up to 5 min. The entire testing, from collection of blood to reporting can be achieved within 15 min. Accuracy rates are nearly 100%. How is QBC superior to current methods Currently the common tests in routine use are Blood smears & Antigen StripTest.While blood smears detect parasites directly within RBCs, antigen tests detect parasite products(antigens) within the blood & are hence indirect tests. Most scientific studies compairing QBC with the above two methods, utilize the measure of parasite detection in terms of Parasite Density[ ie nos parasites/ microlitre]. Whereas both blood smears & antigen tests, are capable of detection limits at parasite densities starting upwards of > 500 parasites/microlitre[corresponding to moderate to heavy infections], these become increasingly unreliable at lower parasite densities. Smears are invariably negative at parasite densities of < 200 parasites/microlitre [ corresponding with mild to early infections] .Antigen tests are negative at parasite densities of <100 parasites/microlitre[corresponding to infections with few to occasional parasites]. On the other hand ,QBC is able to achieve Unparallelled detection limits down to parasite densities of 4-11 parasites/microlitre!!!.

Average detection limits withQBC start upwards of >100 parasites/microlitre. It is therefore 50 times more accurate than blood smears & 25 times more accurate than antigen tests in malaria detection.

The Bottom Line The superior & highly advanced QBC technique,which blends the unique dual process of Parasite concentration & Fluorescence Microscope makes it the most accurate & fastest routine malaria detection test in existence today. QBC proves Life Saving in early diagnosis of both Vivax & Falciparum infections which would otherwise be missed by routine blood smears & antigen strip tests