Direct loop-mediated isothermal amplification from Plasmodium chabaudi infected blood samples: Inability to discriminate genomic and cDNA sequences

► Detection of Plasmodium chabaudi directly in blood samples without DNA extraction. ► Detection of specific mRNAs in total RNA treated with DNase. ► Specific amplification from RNA not possible in the presence of DNA. ► Placing primers over different intron/exon borders did not improve discrimination.