Mass spectrometry for malaria diagnosis.

A physical method currently being developed for malaria parasite detection and diagnosis in blood is reviewed in this article. The method - direct laser desorption mass spectrometry - is based on the detection of heme (iron protoporphyrin) as a unique qualitative and quantitative molecular biomarker for malaria. In infected erythrocytes, the parasite sequesters heme in a molecular crystal (hemozoin) - a volume of highly concentrated and purified biomarker molecules. Laser desorption mass spectrometry detects only heme from hemozoin in parasite-infected blood, and not heme that is bound to hemoglobin or other proteins in uninfected blood samples. The method requires only a drop of blood with minimal sample preparation. Laser desorption mass spectrometry may become a rapid and high-throughput tool for specific and sensitive pan-malaria detection at levels below 10 parasites/mul of blood.