Meat- and plant-based products induced similar satiation which was not affected by multimodal augmentation.

Little is known about how plant-based products influence satiation compared to corresponding meat-based products. As augmented reality (AR) intensifies sensory experiences, it was hypothesized to improve satiation. This study compared satiation between intake of meatballs and plant-based balls and plant-based balls intensified with AR for visual, olfactory, and haptic sensory properties. Intake order of the meatballs, plant-based balls, and augmented plant-based balls, eaten on separate days, was randomized. Satiation was measured from twenty-eight non-obese adults as ad libitum intake of the balls and extra snacks, and as subjective appetite sensations. Liking and wanting to eat the products were also investigated. There were no differences between the products in satiation. Before tasting the augmented plant-based balls were less liked than the meatballs (p = 0.002) or plant-based balls (p = 0.046), but after eating the first ball or eating the ad libitum number of balls the differences in liking disappeared. Wanting evaluations were similar for each product and decreased during eating (p < 0.001). A group of participants susceptible to AR was found (n = 11), described by decreased intake when augmentation was applied. Among the sub-group, wanting to eat the augmented balls was lower before tasting (p = 0.019) and after eating the first ball (p = 0.002) and appetite was less suppressed after eating the balls ad libitum (p = 0.01), when compared to non-susceptible participants. We conclude that meatballs and plant-based balls were equal in inducing satiation, and multisensory augmentation did not influence satiation. However, the augmentation decreased liking evaluations before tasting. Further studies are needed to explore differences between consumer groups in susceptibility to augmentation.

Fine needle aspiration cytology in pediatric tumors: a low-cost, high-accuracy diagnostic tool for resource-limited settings.

INTRODUCTION: Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is gaining popularity in diagnosing pediatric tumors because of ease of performance, easy reproducibility, and low morbidity. However, literature on its efficacy in resource-limited settings is lacking. Hence, the present study evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of FNAC in pediatric tumors in a North Indian center where ancillary diagnostic techniques are unavailable. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a four-year retrospective and 1-year prospective study. Both direct and radiology-guided FNAs were performed in children under 14 years. Cytomorphologic diagnoses were compared with the corresponding histopathologic diagnoses, wherever available, and the concordance rates determined. The diagnostic accuracy of FNAC for pediatric tumors was assessed using sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values. RESULTS: The present study included 125 cases of pediatric tumors, of which 65 were benign and 60 were malignant. The most common site of involvement was the head and neck. The most common benign pediatric tumor was pleomorphic adenoma, while the most common malignant tumor was non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The overall cytologic-histopathologic concordance was high (96.3%), with an overall sensitivity and specificity of 95.65% and 96.88%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: FNAC is a highly sensitive and specific technique for diagnosing pediatric tumors, with a high histopathologic concordance, even in resource-limited setups where advanced ancillary techniques are unavailable. Nevertheless, additional ancillary techniques can complement FNAC to improve this diagnostic accuracy further.

Outbreak of Locally Acquired Mosquito-Transmitted (Autochthonous) Malaria - Florida and Texas, May-July 2023.

Eight cases of locally acquired, mosquito-transmitted (i.e., autochthonous) Plasmodium vivax malaria, which has not been reported in the United States since 2003, were reported to CDC from state health departments in Florida and Texas during May 18-July 17, 2023. As of August 4, 2023, case surveillance, mosquito surveillance and control activities, and public outreach and education activities continue in both states. U.S. clinicians need to consider a malaria diagnosis in patients with unexplained fever, especially in areas where autochthonous malaria has been recently reported, although the risk for autochthonous malaria in the United States remains very low. Prompt diagnosis and treatment of malaria can prevent severe disease or death and limit ongoing transmission to local Anopheles mosquitoes and other persons. Preventing mosquito bites and controlling mosquitoes at home can prevent mosquitoborne diseases, including malaria. Before traveling internationally to areas with endemic malaria, travelers should consult with a health care provider regarding recommended malaria prevention measures, including potentially taking malaria prophylaxis. Malaria is a nationally notifiable disease; continued reporting of malaria cases to jurisdictional health departments and CDC will also help ensure robust surveillance to detect and prevent autochthonous malaria in the United States.

68Ga-PSMA PET-CT and PSMA score affecting therapeutic decision-making in high-risk prostatic carcinoma.

Purpose: This research study was conducted to evaluate the impact of (68Ga)-tagged prostatic-specific membrane antigen (68Ga-PSMA) positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET-CT), compare its role with conventional radiology in early staging of high-risk prostate cancer, and calculate the PSMA score evaluating its usefulness in 68Ga-PSMA PET-CT reporting in our patient population. Material and methods: 68Ga-PSMA PET-CT of 65 high-risk cases of prostate cancer was performed for staging purpo-ses. Any change in disease stage was noted after 68Ga-PSMA PET-CT findings and PSMA score leading to a change in the management plan. Results: Change in disease stage post-PSMA imaging was seen in 39% cases, high PSMA score (03) was noted in > 80% of upstaged cases, while low score (0) and (1) was seen in 65% and 35% down-staged individuals, respectively. Change in therapeutic decision-making was observed in 32% (21) of patients. Conclusions: 68Ga-PSMA PET-CT scans have a significant influence on the planned clinical management of high-risk prostate cancer patients; hence, they can be utilized as a replacement for radiological imaging tools, particularly in the detection of pelvic nodal and distant metastatic disease. PSMA score can be considered as an effective tool in standardized reporting of 68Ga-PSMA imaging.

A Compact MIMO Multiband Antenna for 5G/WLAN/WIFI-6 Devices.

This research work presents a compact design of a Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) multiband antenna along with high-isolation characteristics. The presented antenna was designed for 3.50 GHz, 5.50 GHz, and 6.50 GHz frequencies for 5G cellular, 5G WiFi, and WiFi-6, respectively. The fabrication of the aforementioned design was undertaken using FR-4 (1.6 mm thickness) substrate material with a loss tangent and relative permittivity of about 0.025 and 4.30, respectively. The two-element MIMO multiband antenna was miniaturized to 16 × 28 × 1.6 mm3, making it desirable for devices operating in 5G bands. High isolation (>15 dB) was attained with thorough testing without employing a decoupling scheme in the design. Laboratory measurements resulted in a peak gain of 3.49 dBi and an efficiency of around 80% in the entire operating band. The evaluation of the presented MIMO multiband antenna was carried out in terms of the envelope correlation coefficient (ECC), diversity gain (DG), total active reflection coefficient (TARC), and Channel Capacity Loss (CCL). The measured ECC was less than 0.04, and the DG was well above 9.50. The observed TARC was also lower than -10 dB, and the CCL was below 0.4 bits/s/Hz in the entire operating band. The presented MIMO multiband antenna was analyzed and simulated using CST Studio Suite 2020.

Variational iteration method along with intelligent computing system for the radiated flow of electrically conductive viscous fluid through porous medium.

This article aims to investigate the analytical nature and approximate solution of the radiated flow of electrically conductive viscous fluid into a porous medium with slip effects (RFECVF). In order to build acceptable accurate solutions for RFECVF, this study presented an efficient Levenberg-Marquardt technique of artificial neural networks (LMT-ANNs) approach. One of its fastest back-propagation algorithms for nonlinear lowest latency is the LMT. To turn a quasi-network of PDEs expressing RFECVF into a set of standards, the appropriate adjustments are required. During the flow, the boundary is assumed to be convective. The flow and heat transfer are governed by partial differential equations, and similarity transform is the main tool to convert it into a coupled nonlinear system of ODEs. The usefulness of the constructed LMT-ANNs for such a modelled issue is demonstrated by the best promising algebraic outputs in the E-03 to E-08 range, as well as error histogram and regression analysis measures. Mu is a controller that oversees the entire training procedure. The LMT-ANNs mainly focuses on the higher accuracy of nonlinear systems. Analytical results for the improved boundary layer ODEs are produced using the Variational Iteration Method, a tried-and-true method (VIM). The Lagrange Multiplier is a powerful tool in the suggested method for reducing the amount of computing required. Further, a tabular comparison is provided to demonstrate the usefulness of this study. The final results of the Variational Iteration Method (VIM) in MATLAB have accurately depicted the physical characteristics of a number of parameters, including Eckert, Prandtl, Magnetic, and Thermal radiation parameters.

A three wave longitudinal study of school innovation climate and entrepreneurship teachers' acceptance to technology: Moderating role of knowledge sharing and knowledge hiding.

Entrepreneurship and business school teachers must extensively use technological and innovative tools to increase the efficacy of their instructional methods. This research aimed to investigate the teachers' acceptance of technology in the school innovation climate, to enhance the use and effectiveness of educational technology in Thai entrepreneurship and business schools. Furthermore, the conditional influence of knowledge hiding and sharing on the link between school innovation climate and educational technology has been investigated and reported. Using a longitudinal study design data were gathered from the 204 entrepreneurship teachers of six different universities in Pattani, Bangkok, and Songkla Provinces, Thailand. Based on SamrtPLS 3.3.3 analysis, results revealed that the "school innovation climate" positively impacts educational technology use. Additionally, knowledge hiding and sharing moderated the relationship between "school innovation climate" and acceptance of educational technology (actual use of educational technology, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of educational technology). Current research attempted to bridge the gap between knowledge management and innovation theories application in entrepreneurship education. The study brings key policy implications for school leaders and practitioners and suggests several directions for future research.

Female Healthcare Workers' Knowledge, Attitude towards Breast Cancer, and Perceived Barriers towards Mammogram Screening: A Multicenter Study in North Saudi Arabia.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries. This analytical cross-sectional study assessed knowledge, attitude towards breast cancer, and barriers to mammogram screening among 414 randomly selected female healthcare workers from multiple healthcare facilities in northern Saudi Arabia. Of the studied population, 48.6% had low knowledge, and 16.1% had a low attitude towards breast cancer risk factors and symptoms. The common barriers to mammogram screening were fear to discover cancer (57.2%) and apprehension regarding radiation exposure (57%). Logistic regression analysis found that lack of awareness regarding mammogram was significantly associated with age (p = 0.030) and healthcare workers category (ref: physicians: p = 0.016). In addition, we found a significant negative correlation between knowledge and barrier scores (Spearman's rho: −0.315, p < 0.001). It is recommended to develop target-oriented educational programs for the healthcare workers, which would empower them to educate the community regarding the risk factors and the importance of mammogram screening. Furthermore, a prospective study is warranted in other regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to understand the region-specific training needs for the healthcare workers.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Occupational Health Hazards among Health Care Workers of Northern Saudi Arabia: A Multicenter Study.

Health care workers (HCWs) working in different health care facilities are exposed to many hazards, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This questionnaire-based cross-sectional study aimed to assess the prevalence, pattern, and risk factors of occupational health hazards faced by 438 randomly selected HCWs from northern Saudi Arabia. The HCWs are commonly exposed to needle stick injuries (34.5%) under the biological hazards category; and work-related stress (69.6%) under the non-biological hazards categories. The significant associated factors were work setting (ref: Primary Health Center: Adjusted OR (AOR) = 2.81, 95%CI = 1.21-4.59, p = 0.017), smoking status (ref.: non-smoker: AOR = 1.73, 95%CI = 1.03-2.91, p = 0.039), and mean sleeping duration per day (AOR = 1.22, 95%CI = 1.04-1.43, p = 0.014) for biological, and smoking status (ref: non-smoker: AOR = 2.16, 95%CI = 1.09-3.29, p = 0.028), and mean sleeping duration per day (AOR = 1.35, 95%CI = 1.07-1.70, p = 0.013) for non-biological categories. This study revealed several risk factors and occupational health hazards that HCWs are exposed to during their work time. Periodic training and follow-up assessments regarding bio-safety measures for the HCWs should be implemented. Finally, future explorative studies are warranted on the feasibility of implementing rotation-based postings for the HCWs in different health care settings.

Resistance Patterns of Gram-Negative Bacteria Recovered from Clinical Specimens of Intensive Care Patients.

Intensive care units are complex environments favoring high resistance in microorganisms. This study evaluated the resistance and the distribution dynamics of resistant Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) in patients admitted to intensive care units. This retrospective, record-based, cross-sectional study analyzed all of the antibiograms of patients admitted to the ICUs. The BD Phoenix system (BD Diagnostics, Sparks, MD, USA) was used for bacterial identification and antimicrobial testing. Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute recommendations were used for antimicrobial testing. Frequencies and percentages of multidrug and pan-drug resistance were calculated. A total of 570 bacterial growths were observed, out of which 437 (76.7%) were of GNB. K. pneumoniae (21.0%), P. aeruginosa (11.8%), and Staphylococcus aureus (13.2%) were the most frequent disease-causing bacteria in intensive care patients. Resistance rates of 73.2% and 70.1% were observed for third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins, respectively, while 48.2% carbapenem and > 65% fluoroquinolones resistance rates were observed. Amikacin was the most effective antibiotic, with a sensitivity rate of 69.5%. A total of 372 (85.1%) of GNB were multidrug resistant. The majority of infections in intensive care patients are caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria. Female gender and advancing age are factors favoring MDR. Enhanced surveillance and strengthening of the antimicrobial stewardship program are warranted.

Clinical Practice Guidelines For The Management Of Colorectal Cancer, A Consensus Statement By The Society Of Surgeons® And Surgical Oncology Society Of Pakistan®.

A joint effort by the Society of Surgeons Pakistan and Society of Surgical Oncology Pakistan, these guidelines provide a framework for the practicing surgeons involved in care and management of patients with colorectal cancer. The guidelines take into account the issues related to our local circumstances and provide a minimum standard of care that must be given to these patients. The Guideline Committee had members from all disciplines, including surgery, surgical oncology, medical oncology and radiation oncology. The guidelines have attempted to simplify things to understand and follow for the practicing surgeons. With these guidelines we wish to eliminate disparities in treatment among institutions and prevent any under treatment of patients.

Knowledge and attitudes towards stem cells and the significance of their medical application among healthcare sciences students of Jouf University.

BACKGROUND: Adequate knowledge and positive attitude of the medical and dental students towards the stem cells and their utilization in medical science is extremely important keeping in view the ever-increasing potential of stem cells in the medical field. The present study was planned to assess the knowledge and attitude of the medical and dental students towards stem cells and their applications in medical science. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 217 medical and dental college students of the Jouf University. The systematic random sampling method was used to select students based on gender and year of study. After obtaining written informed consent, a self-administered questionnaire consisting of three parts was administered to the students. The first part collected the socio-demographic details; part 2 contains 15 questions regarding knowledge and part 3 contains 10 questions regarding attitude towards stem cells. RESULTS: Majority of the participants were males (54.4%) in the age group of 21-22 years. Awareness regarding Saudi stem cell donor registry was observed in 50.7% of the students . A total of 72.4% of the students possessed medium knowledge while 70% of the students possessed high attitude score towards stem cell research and its medical significance. A significant relationship was observed between the Saudi Stem Cell Donor Registry awareness and knowledge score with p-value of 0.04. Relationship between the knowledge and attitude scores was significant with p-value of 0.001 and with a Pearson correlation score of r = 0.334. CONCLUSION: Medium to high level of knowledge was noted among majority of the participants and a high attitude score was also noted towards stem cells and their relevance. A significant positive correlation was observed between the knowledge and attitude scores. It is recommended to include various interventional educational programs for the medical and dental students on the significance of stem cells in the medical field.

Resveratrol protects against cisplatin-induced ovarian and uterine toxicity in female rats by attenuating oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis.

Cisplatin is an important antineoplastic drug used in multiple chemotherapeutic regimens but unfortunately causes serious toxic effects as ovarian and uterine toxicity. This study aimed to investigate the potential protective effect of resveratrol (RSV) against cisplatin-induced ovarian and uterine toxicity in female rats. Thirty-two female Wistar rats were divided randomly into four groups (n = 8 in each). Control group received oral normal saline for 28 days; RSV group received RSV (10 mg/kg; daily) via oral gavage; CIS group received a single dose of CIS (7 mg/kg; i.p.) on the 21st day; (CIS + RSV) group received both RSV and CIS by the same schedules and doses of RSV and CIS groups, respectively. Results demonstrated a significant decrease in MDA level and a significant increase in both glutathione content and activity of the antioxidant enzymes GPx, SOD, and CAT in the tissues of the ovary and uterus of CIS + RSV group in comparison to that of CIS group (P<0.05), also there are significantly decreased tissue levels of the proinflammatory cytokines and enzymes (NF-κB, IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, COX-2, and iNOS), increased estradiol, progesterone, prolactin and decreased FSH serum levels in CIS + RSV group compared to CIS group (P < 0.05). Moreover, there is downregulation of tissues Cleaved Caspase-3, NF-κB and Cox-2 proteins as shown in Western blot analysis, also apoptosis was significantly inhibited, evidenced by downregulation of Bax and upregulation of Bcl-2 proteins, and the ovarian and uterine histological architecture and integrity were maintained in CIS + RSV group compared to CIS group. In conclusion, these findings indicate that RSV has beneficial effects in ameliorating cisplatin-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in the ovarian and uterine tissues of female rats.

Genetic Diversity of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 in Asymptomatic Blood Donors in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Objective The serological testing of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is mandatory under the blood safety legislation of Pakistan; hence, data exist on the prevalence of HIV in blood donors. However, little is known about the molecular epidemiology of HIV in the blood donor population. Therefore, the current study was designed to study the genetic diversity of HIV-1 infection in a population of apparently healthy treatment-naive blood donors in Islamabad, Pakistan. Material and Methods A total of 85,736 blood donors were tested for HIV by the chemiluminescence immunoassay. All positive donor samples were analyzed for the presence of various HIV genotypes (types and subtypes). Viral ribonucleic acid was extracted from blood samples of HIV positive donors and reverse transcribed into complementary deoxyribonucleic acid (cDNA). The cDNA of all positive donors was then analyzed for the presence of various HIV genotypes (types and subtypes) by employing subtype-specific primers in a nested polymerase chain reaction. The amplified products were run on ethidium bromide-stained 2% agarose gel and visualized using a ultraviolet transilluminator. A particular subtype was assigned to a sample if the subtype-specific reaction made a band 20% highly intense compared with the band made by the subtype-independent reaction. Results A total of 85,736 blood donors were screened for the presence of antibodies to HIV. Out of them, 114 were initially found reactive for HIV. The repeat testing resulted in 112 (0.13%) positive donors, 95% confidence interval 0.0014 (0.0011-0.0018). These 112 samples were analyzed for molecular typing of HIV-1. The predominant HIV-1 subtype was A ( n = 101) (90.1%) followed by subtype B ( n = 11) (9.9%). Conclusion These findings are key to understand the diversified HIV epidemic at the molecular level and should assist public health workers in implementing measures to lessen the further dissemination of these viruses in the country.

Open tendoachilles injuries due to squatting type of toilet seats: Five-year prospective observational study from a tertiary care center in India.

BACKGROUND: Open traumatic tendoachilles injuries due to toilet seats are least reported. The exact mechanism of such injuries is debatable. None of the studies have reported associated neurovascular injuries and the need for microvascular tissue transfer. METHODS: It is a 5-year prospective observational study from Sep 2013 - Aug 2018 at a tertiary care center on 26 patients who had sustained foot injuries due to squatting type toilet seats. All the patients were managed by thorough wound irrigation and debridement followed by repair of cut tendoachilles, other tendons and neurovascular structures. All the complications and secondary procedures required were recorded. Functional outcome was assessed by Boyden clinical outcome score. Follow up ranged from 1 to 5 years. RESULTS: All the 26 patients reported a particular mechanism of injury. Complete transection of tendoachilles was seen in 23 (88.5%) patients and partial transection in three (11.5%) patients. Microvascular repair of cut posterior tibial artery was undertaken in three and posterior tibial nerve in two cases and microvascular parascapular flap in one case for soft tissue reconstruction. Twenty-three (88.5%) patients had good to excellent Boyden score while three patients (11.5%) had fair to poor score at 1 year. Such severe injuries due to toilet seats have never been reported in literature. CONCLUSIONS: Squatting toilet seats can cause devastating foot injuries involving tendons and neurovascular structures and may require microvascular tissue transfer for definitive wound management. The risk of such injuries will continue unless some modifications are undertaken in the design of the seat.

Noncovalent Conjugates of Ionic Liquid with Antibacterial Peptide Melittin: An Efficient Combination against Bacterial Cells.

Growing antibiotic resistance has become a major health problem and has encouraged many researchers to find an alternative class of antibiotics. Combination therapy (covalent/noncovalent) is supposed to increase antibacterial activity leading to a decrease in administration dosage, thus lowering the risk of adverse side effects. The covalent coupling sometimes leads to instability and loss in the structure of AMPs. Therefore, herein, we have reported innovative research involving the noncovalent coupling of melittin (MEL), an antimicrobial peptide with a series of synthesized less toxic pyrrolidinium-based ionic liquids (ILs) for which MTT assay was performed. The antibacterial results of conjugates showed remarkable improvement in the MIC value as compared to MEL and ILs alone against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus . In addition, hemocompatibility results suggested good selectivity of the noncovalent conjugate as a potential antibiotic agent. Further, the docking study was employed to acquire the most favorable conformation of MEL in the presence of ILs. The best possible complex was further studied using various spectroscopic techniques, which showed appreciable binding and stability of the complex.

Smokeless tobacco use and risk of oral cavity cancer

Background/aim/AIM: Smokeless tobacco has been associated with oral cavity cancer for several decades. The incidence of oral cavity cancer is higher in some parts of the world especially South and South-East Asia including Pakistan. The aim of current study was to evaluate the risk of oral cavity cancer among smokeless tobacco users in our country. Materials and methodsAND METHODS: A case-control study was conducted between November 2016 and September 2017. Patients diagnosed with oral cavity cancer receiving treatment were included as cases and the attendants of various cancer patients visiting the hospital during the study period were included in the study as controls. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated and all reported P-values were considered significant at < 0.05. Results: The crude OR for the "ever smokeless tobacco users" among cases and controls came out to be 4.98 (95%CI; 2.76­9.01). The OR for snuff users among cases and controls was 4.82 (95%CI; 2.37­9.80) and that for betel leaf users was 4.42 (95%CI; 1.66­11.91) after adjusting for smoking and age. Conclusion: Our study provided strong evidence for snuff and betel leaf to be independent risk factors for oral cavity cancer.

Hydatid Cyst of Skeletal Muscle Presenting as Soft Tissue Tumour.

Hydatid disease is helminthic infection caused by tape worm echinococcus granulosis. It commonly involves liver (65-75%) and the lungs (25 to 30%). Involvement of bones and skeletal muscle is very rare, i.e. 3 to 5%. This is the report of a 21-year girl, city resident, presented with mass involving left proximal thigh. The mass was painless and had gradually increased in size over three years. MRI revealed solid cum cystic lesion in vastus medialis muscle. Tru-Cut needle biopsy of the lesion revealed necrotic material. Intraoperative findings were of different sized cystic lesions, typical of hydatid cyst. The cysts were removed intact. No recurrence was seen in 11-month follow-up. Hydatid cyst involving skeletal muscle is very rare entity, but should be considered while making differential diagnosis of soft tissue mass.

Comparison of real time polymerase chain reaction with microscopy and antigen detection assay for the diagnosis of malaria.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the sensitivity of a real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for malaria diagnosis and to compare its accuracy with microscopy and an antigen based rapid diagnostic test (OptiMal). STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional analytical study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Military Hospital, Armed Forces Institute of Transfusion and Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi, from July to December 2011. METHODOLOGY: Venous blood samples of 300 clinically suspected patients of malaria were tested for malaria parasite by microscopy and OptiMal; and malaria parasite index was calculated for the positive samples. Plasmodium genus specific real time PCR was performed on all specimens, targeting small subunit rRNA gene. Diagnostic accuracy of three tests was compared and cost analysis was done. RESULTS: Out of 300 patients, malaria parasite was detected in 110, 106 and 123 patients by microscopy, OptiMAL and PCR respectively. Real time PCR was 100% sensitive while microscopy and OptiMal had sensitivity of 89.4% and 86.2% respectively. All methods were 100% specific. The cost per test was calculated to be 0.2, 2.75 and 3.30 US$ by microscopy, OptiMal and PCR respectively, excluding the once capital cost on PCR equipment. CONCLUSION: Genus specific real time PCR for the diagnosis of malaria was successfully established as a highly sensitive and affordable technology that should be incorporated in the diagnostic algorithm in this country.