Diagnosis
Microscopic features of Plasmodium species in thin peripheral blood films
| |
P. vivax |
P. falciparum |
P. malariae |
P. ovale |
| Red blood cell |
Large, pale, irregular |
Normal size |
Normal size or slightly small |
Large, oval or fimbriated |
| Stippling (pink-staining granules) |
Schüffner's dots |
Rare coarse Maurer's spots |
Rare Ziemann's dots |
Schüffner's dots |
| Multiply infected cells |
Occasional |
Frequent |
Rare |
Occasional |
| Trophozoites |
Tenuous, ameboid, large, occasional double chromatin dots |
Small ring forms frequent, double chromatin dots, marginal forms common |
Frequent band, rare double chromatin dots |
Compact, large, sometimes slightly ameboid, occasional double chromatin dots |
| Schizonts |
Less numerous than trophozoites, clumped pigment in mature forms |
Rare, clumped pigment in immature and mature forms |
Often in great numbers, clumped pigment only in mature forms |
May be frequent, usually clumped, pigment in mature forms |
| Number of merozoites in mature schizont |
16 (12 to 24) |
8 to 24 (more if multiply infected) |
8 (6 to 12) |
8 (4 to 16) |
| Merozoites |
Small, clustered |
Very small |
Large, frequent rosette pattern around central pigment |
Very large, frequent rosette pattern |
| Gametocytes |
Round |
Rare, crescent or sausage shaped |
Round |
Round or oval |
|
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