A diagnostic kit to screen individuals with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase defect and its application on anti-malaria spot in the countryside.

OBJECTIVE

To prepare a kit for screening individuals with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) defect. The kit is easy to use and to get the fast as well as reliable results. Especially it is suitable for the anti-malaria spots usually located in the remote countryside where no electricity is available.

METHODS

The double filter paper method and other 2 techniques, the quantitative method and the single filter paper method, were used to determine G6PD activity in 70 samples of human erythrocytes. It was found that the results of the double filter paper method and those of the single filter paper method in the first 8 hours after the drying of the blood-soaked filter paper were consistent with those of the quantitative method. When a piece of blood-soaked paper is left under room temperature more than 24 hours, G6PD in the erythrocytes deteriorated spontaneously and consequently the number of positive cases increased along with the elapse of time.

RESULTS

Satisfactory results were achieved when the kit was used to screen cases of G6PD defect from 151 farmers who were receiving anti-malaria therapy. The kit was made according to a technique named "double filter paper" method.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that the double filter paper method can reveal the level of G6PD activity and the results are rapidly obtained when the method is used on the anti-malaria spot.