Do not panic over card test results for diagnosing dengue, instead wait for results from Elisa test, say experts.
“The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test is the one that confirms dengue while the card test is just a screening test,” said Dr Narendra Agrawal, chief medical officer, Lucknow.
“In card test, there are chances of incorrect report, hence we advise ELISA test. Two out of five card test reports on dengue might be incorrect, so a confirmatory test will be better,” said Dr KP Tripathi, in-charge, vector borne control programme.
Card tests by private labs come with a high price tag. “Private labs do not get any logistic support from the government, hence they charge for the tests they conduct. But if there is any complaint with regard to the charges for card tests, we will take action against the lab. This may include cancellation of registration with the office of CMO,” said Agrawal.
“We also take reports from private labs seriously. If a case is reported, we conduct source reduction exercise in the patients’ house and neighbourhood areas and ask them to go for ELISA confirmatory test. But the case is registered as a dengue case only after confirmatory test,” said Tripathi.
The city has four centres for confirmatory test – King George’s Medical University, SGPGI, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute and state lab, run by the health department. The maximum tests are being conducted at the KGMU, said doctors.
{{/usCountry}}The city has four centres for confirmatory test – King George’s Medical University, SGPGI, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute and state lab, run by the health department. The maximum tests are being conducted at the KGMU, said doctors.
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