Developing a Combined Rapid Diagnostic Test (cRDT) for Blood-Stream Bacterial Infections and Malaria in Children: A Tool for Improving Diagnosis of Non-Malarial Fevers and Rational Use of Antibiotics in Rural Settings

A lack of simple, reliable biomarkers for bacterial infections – a major cause of infant mortality – leads to frequent misdiagnosis of malaria, the incorrect prescription of antibiotics and eventually reduced drug effectiveness.  This project’s rapid test for bedside diagnosis of bacterial illness will help improve misdiagnosis of non-malarial fevers.