Fig. 2

Yield loss (ΔCt) detection of real-time PCR performed on DNA extracted from DBS inoculated with different volumes of blood (10 µl, 20 µl, 50 µl and 100 µl) compared to extraction from whole blood (200 µl). The crosses inside the box and numbers indicate the mean value of the ΔCt. Letters indicate groups according to significant differences between mean ΔCt values, so that values with different letters (a, b or c) present statistically significant differences between them (P < 0.01). A ΔCt values of generic real-time PCR, B ΔCt values of Plasmodium falciparum-specific PCR and C ΔCt values of Plasmodium malariae-specific PCR. Significant differences were not analyzed for P. malariae as only two samples were positive