Innovations in Malaria Diagnostics: Rapid Tests, Molecular Tools, and Field-Ready Technologies

Accurate, accessible, and reliable diagnostics remain central to malaria case management, surveillance, elimination efforts, and public health decision-making. Rapid diagnostic tests have transformed malaria diagnosis in many endemic settings, but important challenges remain, including variable test performance, low-density infections, asymptomatic carriage, species-specific detection gaps, quality assurance limitations, and the emergence of Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein 2 and 3 (pfhrp2/pfhrp3) gene deletions that can compromise HRP2-based rapid diagnostic tests.This Research Topic focuses on advances, challenges, and implementation opportunities in malaria diagnostics. We welcome contributions addressing rapid diagnostic tests, including next-generation and highly sensitive RDTs, improved antigen-detection platforms, microscopy quality assurance, AI-assisted or automated microscopy, molecular diagnostics, qPCR, droplet digital or digital PCR, LAMP, amplicon sequencing, portable sequencing technologies, serological tools, and other approaches relevant to malaria detection and surveillance. Particular interest will be given to studies evaluating novel diagnostic platforms, assessing diagnostic performance under field conditions, detecting pfhrp2/pfhrp3 deletions, improving detection of low-density or asymptomatic infections, distinguishing malaria species, and adapting diagnostic tools for use in endemic, low-resource, or field-based settings.The goal of this collection is to bring together researchers working on malaria diagnostic innovation, validation, implementation, and policy translation. By highlighting both established and emerging diagnostic approaches, this Research Topic will provide a platform for studies that can strengthen malaria case detection, improve surveillance accuracy, support RDT policy decisions, advance quality-assured microscopy, and improve diagnostic preparedness in regions pursuing malaria control, elimination, or responding to changing transmission patterns. Topic editors: Tolulope Adeyemi Kayode, Berenger Aristide A. AKO, Mary Aigbiremo Oboh Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/82420/innovations-in-malaria-diagnostics-rapid-tests-molecular-tools-and-field-ready-technologies