Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Parasitology 1735-7020 10 1 2015 03 15 39 45 EN Habibollah Turki Infectious & Tropical diseases, Research Center Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran AND Molecular Medicine Research Center, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran. Ahmad Raeisi National Programme Manager for Malaria Control, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran. Kianoosh Malekzadeh Molecular Medicine Research Center, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran. Amin Ghanbarnejad Social Determinants in Health Promotion Research Center, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar-Abbas, Iran. Samaneh Zoghi Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Masoud Yeryan Infectious & Tropical diseases, Research Center Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran. Masoumeh Abedi Nejad Molecular Medicine Research Center, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran. Fatemeh Mohseni Molecular Medicine Research Center, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran. Mohammad Shekari Molecular Medicine Research Center, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran. 2015 10 14   Background: The aim of this study was to detect low parasite and asymptomatic malaria infections by means of three malaria diagnostic tests, in a low transmission region of Minab district, Hormozgan Province, southern Iran. Methods:Blood samples of 200 healthy volunteers from Bagh-e-Malek area were evaluated using microscopic, rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) and nested-PCR to in-spect malaria parasite. Results:The results showed no Plasmodium parasite in subjects by means of mi-croscopy and RDT. However, 3 P. vivax positive samples (1.5%) were discovered by Nested-PCR while microscopy and RDT missed the cases. Conclusion:Microscopy as the gold standard method and RDT correctly identi-fied 98.5% of cases, and molecular analysis is sensitive and reliable, especially in the detection of "asymptomatic" infections for active case surveillance. Regarding the existence of asymptomatic malaria in endemic area of Hormozgan, Iran, nest-ed-PCR could be considered as a sensitive tool to interrupt malaria transmission in the country, beside the microscopic and RDT methods. https://ijpa.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijpa/article/view/354 https://ijpa.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijpa/article/download/354/421