Case #271 - March, 2010
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The DPDx Team received Giemsa-stained blood smears from a state health laboratory for malaria confirmation/identification. The patient travels internationally regularly for business, and within the month before becoming ill, had traveled to India, Malaysia and China. Figures A-F show what was observed on one of the thin smears sent to the CDC. What is your diagnosis? Based on what criteria?
Figure A
Figure B
Figure C
Figure D
Figure E
Figure F
Case Answer
This was a case of malaria caused by Plasmodium vivax. Diagnostic morphologic features included:
- an enlargement of infected red blood cells.
- the presence of Schϋffner's dots (best seen in Figures A and F).
- amoeboid trophozoites (Figures A and F).
- gametocytes with fine pigment (Figures B and C).
- schizonts with more than 13 merozoites (Figures D and E).
More on: Malaria
Images presented in the monthly case studies are from specimens submitted for diagnosis or archiving. On rare occasions, clinical histories given may be partly fictitious.
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