Figure 3

Time-to-microscopy-detection and parasite growth rate. Individuals were grouped according to the time at which parasites were first detected by microscopy. The time between PCR detection and microscopy detection was directly measured from the data for each patient. Parasite growth rates were estimated from the time of PCR detection to time and level of microscopy detection, using equation (1). This allowed us to compare both delays and PMR in early-detected versus late-detected groups. For children, neither the delay (A) nor the growth rate (B) was significantly different between early and late-infected groups (timing of detection shown in E). For adults, there was a significantly longer delay (C), and slower growth rate (D) in the late-infected group (timing of detection shown in F).