Diagnostic value of automated haematology analyzer in the diagnosis of malaria

ABSTRACT

To evaluate the diagnostic utility of a haematology analyzer in malaria cases in which the analyzer failed to give a differential leukocyte count. It was an observational study carried out at Pathology Department, Rehman Medical Institute Peshawar, from August 2006 to Jan 2009. During this period a total of 96,865 blood counts were done using Sysmex XT 2000i, haematology analyzer, In 310 consecutive cases, in which the instrument failed to give any differential, 225/310 [73%] were suspected as having blasts or nucleated red cells by the analyzer. In 80/310 [26%] cases in which the instrument did not suspect any blasts or nucleated red cells, some type of malaria was detected on slide examination. Out of the 80 malaria cases, Plasmodium vivax trophozoites were seen in 99% cases with or without ring forms. It included 5% cases of mixed malaria. Using this analyzer, if there is no White Blood Cells differential and no flagging or suspicion, there is a strong possibility of finding trophozoite forms of Plasmodium vivax malaria in peripheral blood