Relapse of Plasmodium vivax and Recrudescence of Plasmodium malariae Malaria, as Detected by the SYSMEX XE-2100 Fully Automated Blood Cell Analyzer

• Relapse of Plasmodium vivax and Recrudescence of Plasmodium malariae Malaria, as Detected by the SYSMEX XE-2100 Fully Automated Blood Cell Analyzer

AUTHOR(S)

E. PINTÉR^＊１, O. SZABÓ^＊１, R. TODOROVA^＊２, Zs. VÁRNAI^＊３, and D. BÁNHEGYI^＊４

*1 Saint László Hospital Central Clinical Laboratory
*2 Saint László Hospital Department of Microbiology
*3 Saint László Hospital VIIth Department of Infectious Diseases
*4 Saint László Hospital Vth Department of Infectious Diseases

SUMMARY

All symptoms and signs of uncomplicated malaria are non-specific, as they are shared with other febrile conditions. Two cases of patients with a travel history in Asia are reported who were admitted to the hospital after one week of fever. Laboratory findings for both included anemia, thrombocytopenia and elevated C-reactive protein. In both cases, the DIFF scattergram of the multi-parameter Sysmex XE-2100 ( Sysmex Corporation, Kobe, Japan ) automated hematology analyzer was abnormal. A subsequent blood smear and the identification of parasites in the film confirmed malaria parasites. The cases described in this report highlight the importance of taking a complete travel history from patients with unexplained febrile illness and suggest that special attention to atypical distribution patterns of the white blood cells ( WBC ) scattergram is extremely helpful in the diagnosis of malaria.

KEY WORDS

XE-2100, Automated Hematology Analyzer, P. malariae , P. vivax