Practical reasons for poor RDT performance

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Practical considerations Bibilography: [1], [2] 1. Selection and procurement of MDTs (a) Quality of test design/production. There may be significant variation of performance between tests, users are advised to check test performance (see WHO testing information ref 2 above) (b) Lot variability. Variability between different production batches has been observed and should be considered if RDT performance is less than expected. 2. Stability and storage issues (a) RDTs typically have a shelf-life of 18–24 months providing storage is appropriateR. (b) Tests can suffer degradation if stored in inappropriate heat or humidity: generally tests are stable in the range 2–30°C or higher, but these limits may be exceeded in many countries, and continuous product refrigeration to the point of use may not be guarenteed in developing countries. 3. Operator training (a)Problems in test usage may include inappropriate placement of test reagents or blood sample on RDT. (b)Poor interpretion of faint lines. (c) Inadequate training or reference materials