Background The ability to screen for asymptomatic malaria infection at a field level is increasingly recognized as a key strategy in malaria elimination campaigns. However, molecular methods necessary to detect very low parasite density infections, such as PCR, are restricted to reference-level laboratories and require considerable training to perform. To be effective, such techniques must be close enough to the positive cases to enable rapid treatment. Loopmediated isothermal DNA amplification (LAMP) is highly sensitive and specific, faster than PCR, requires minimal processing and instrumentation, and allows result detection with the naked eye.