Malarial Falciparum and Vivax Antigen (Parasite V&F)
A rapid card test for the two common malaria species. Faster than a smear and does not depend on timing with the fever
Also known as Malaria antigen, Malaria card test, Rapid malaria, Malaria Antigen (P. falciparum / P. vivax), Malarial Antigen (Rapid)
₹400/-₹500/-20% offFree collection on orders above ₹500/-
- Reports within
- 8 hours
- Parameter included
- 01see list
- Sample
- Blood
- Fasting
- Not needed
- Measures
- Malaria parasite antigens for P. falciparum and P. vivax
- Identifies
- Current malaria infection and which species is causing it
Collected at home
A trained phlebotomist visits at a time you pick, from the next hour
Sealed single-use kit
Opened in front of you, and carried to the lab under controlled conditions
Report within 8 hours
On WhatsApp and email, with any value outside the normal range highlighted
What is the Malaria Ag test?
The malaria antigen test is a rapid card test that detects proteins released by the two malaria parasites found in India, Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax. A drop of blood on the card shows a line for each species that is present. The result is reported as negative or positive, with the species named.
The older method, a blood smear under a microscope, works best when the sample is taken at the height of a fever spike and depends on the skill of the person reading it. The antigen test does not need that timing and gives a clear answer within hours. Knowing the species matters because falciparum can turn dangerous within a day or two and needs different treatment from vivax, which relapses unless a second medicine is added.
No fasting is needed. The sample is collected at home and the report arrives in 8 hours. A CBC is often done at the same time, since malaria lowers haemoglobin and platelets.
Malaria Ag parameters1 measured
Malaria antigen (P. falciparum / vivax)
Negative
Detects the malaria parasite's own proteins in the blood and tells falciparum from vivax, positive during active infection when fever comes and goes
Reference ranges are the lab's defaults for adults and are printed on the report beside every value
How to prepare
- No fasting is needed.
- The sample can be taken at any time; there is no need to wait for a fever spike.
- Tell the phlebotomist if you have taken any antimalarial tablets in the past few weeks, as they can make the result harder to read.
Who should take it
Anyone with fever and chills, especially fever that comes and goes with shivering and sweating, or fever with headache, vomiting and body ache. Anyone who has travelled to a rural, tribal or forested area in the past month, or returned from a malaria-prone country. Pregnant women, young children and older adults with fever, who become seriously ill faster. People whose fever has not settled after three days and whose dengue and typhoid tests are negative. Anyone treated for malaria recently whose fever has returned, since vivax can relapse.
Before the visit
Tell your doctor about recent travel, previous malaria, pregnancy, and any antimalarial or antibiotic already taken. A negative card with a strong suspicion may need a repeat test or a blood smear, and drowsiness, confusion, dark urine, jaundice or breathing difficulty with fever need a hospital immediately.
Why take the Malaria Ag test?
- Fever with chills: fever that comes in bouts with shivering, sweating and headache, especially every second or third day, is the classic pattern.
- Fever after travel: illness within a month of visiting a rural or forested area, or a district with malaria cases, needs this test first.
- No timing needed: unlike a smear, the card test works whenever the sample is taken, so there is no reason to delay.
- Species guides treatment: falciparum and vivax are treated differently, and the report says which one is present.
- Fever not settling: if a viral fever has lasted more than three days, or dengue and typhoid tests are negative, malaria should be ruled out.
Questions about the Malaria Ag test
What is the malaria antigen test used for?
It confirms or rules out malaria quickly in someone with fever and chills, and tells the doctor which of the two Indian species, P. falciparum or P. vivax, is present. The species decides the treatment.
Do I need to fast or wait for a fever spike?
Neither. No fasting is needed, and unlike a blood smear the card test does not depend on catching a fever spike. Book the collection as soon as malaria is suspected.
What sample is taken and how does home collection work?
A small blood sample from the arm. A trained phlebotomist comes to your home with a sealed single-use kit and takes the sample to the lab, where a drop is applied to the antigen card.
What is a normal malaria antigen result?
Negative for both P. falciparum and P. vivax. There is no numerical range; the report says whether antigen was detected and, if so, for which species.
What does a positive result mean?
It means malaria parasites are in your blood and treatment should start the same day. Falciparum can become severe within a day or two and needs urgent treatment. Vivax is milder but relapses from parasites hiding in the liver unless a second medicine is added, which your doctor will check you can safely take.
Who should get tested for malaria?
Anyone with fever and chills, particularly fever that comes in bouts with shivering and sweating, and anyone who has travelled to a rural, tribal or forested area in the past month. Pregnant women, children and older adults with fever should be tested early. It is usually ordered alongside dengue and typhoid tests when fever lasts more than three days.
How long does the malaria report take?
The report reaches your WhatsApp and email in 8 hours from collection. Malaria treatment should not wait, so contact your doctor as soon as a positive result arrives.
Is the antigen card test as good as a blood smear?
For diagnosis, yes, and it is easier to get right. The card does not depend on timing with the fever or on the skill of the person reading the slide. A smear is still useful for counting how many parasites are present and for following treatment, so your doctor may order one as well.
Commonly tested together
Often on the same prescription
What happens after you book
- A phlebotomist is assigned and reaches you in your chosen slot, as soon as the next hour
- The sample is collected with a sealed single-use kit and moved on a cold chain
- The report lands on WhatsApp and email within 8 hours