Korean J Lab Med.  2006 Apr;26(2):77-80. 10.3343/kjlm.2006.26.2.77.

Three Cases of Pseudoeosinophilia Associated with Malaria Determined in the Sysmex XE-2100 Automated Hematology Analyzer

• Park GB
• Cha YJ

• KMID: 2238894
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3343/kjlm.2006.26.2.77

Abstract

In Korea, the incidence of malaria has been increasing in the civilian population and in the areas previously considered as noninfected. Malaria can be suspected based on the patient's symptoms and the physical findings at examination. However, for a definitive diagnosis to be made, the malaria parasites or their components must be demonstrated by laboratory tests, which will take time and require expertise. Since general screening tests, such as a complete blood cell count, are always done for patients with a fever, it can be expected that the attention of laboratory hematologists drawn to any abnormalities found in automated hematology analyzers can help reduce delays in the diagnosis of malaria even if such a diagnosis was not initially considered. We report three cases of malaria that had thrombocytopenia and pseudoeosinophilia shown in the Sysmex XE-2100 (TOA Medical Electronics, Kobe, Japan) automated hematology analyzer. It is feasible that the pseudoeosinophilia presented as a result of hemozoin-containing white blood cells may contribute to the diagnosis of malaria, especially for patients unsuspected of the disease.

Keyword

Malaria; Pseudoeosinophilia; Hemozoin; White blood cell count

MeSH Terms

Blood Cell Count
Diagnosis
Electronics, Medical
Fever
Hematology*
Humans
Incidence
Korea
Leukocyte Count
Leukocytes
Malaria*
Mass Screening
Parasites
Thrombocytopenia

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1. Scattergram generated by a Sysmex XE-2100 analyzer. (A) Sample from a patient without malaria infection. (B) Sample from a patient with malaria infection, showing atypical distribution of eosinophils (arrow). (clusters: skyblue; neutrophils, red; eosinophils, green; monocytes, pink; lymphocytes).

• 

  Fig. 2. Scattergram generated by a Advia 120 analyzer. (A) Sample from a patient without malaria infection. (B) Sample from a patient with malaria infection, showing atypical distribution of cluster at noise area (arrow).

Reference

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