Diagnosis
Determination of the species of Plasmodium requires consideration of morphology of the parasite and red blood cells, travel history and clinical symptoms. Giemsa or Wright's stained peripheral blood films are the gold standard for diagnosing malaria. One can read through properly prepared thin and thick films (Figure 1). Thin films reveal details and are helpful in species identification. Thick films are useful for screening and for detecting light infections because a greater sample of blood is examined and the red blood cells are hemolyzed making the parasites more concentrated. P. falciparum, seen on thin smear (Figure 2), infects normal size RBC's. Babesia, another protozoan that invades red blood cells, differs in that it lacks pigment, schizonts and gametocytes in peripheral blood (Figure 3).
Figure 1
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Figure 2
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Figure 3
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