**3.4 Newer microscopic techniques**

Due to the limitations of the rapid diagnostic tests already noted, the RDTs are not the end in malaria diagnosis. Using Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques some of the limitations have been overcome. Myjak et al (2002), describe PCR techniques that have been utilised to enhance malaria diagnosis in mixed infections and especially in patients with low parasite densities, while Patsoula et al (2003) reported a single step PCR based method to differentiate mixed infections and Ahmet et al ( 2010) have used nested PCR and Real-Time PCR for detection of *Plasmodium vivax.*

Reliable enumeration of malaria parasites in thick blood film using digital analysis is also described by Frean (2009).
