Flash information
- Thick film
- Sensitive detection
- Thin film
- Morphology and species
- Quantification
- Document parasitaemia
- Limitation
- Single image insufficient
Definition
Microscopic malaria diagnosis seeks Plasmodium forms in blood.
Examination or reading method
Examine thick and thin films with suitable staining and technique; preparation quality is essential.
Morphological description
Thick films concentrate parasites; thin films better preserve erythrocytes for morphological identification.
Causes and diagnostic direction
Species identification uses several features; a thick film alone may be insufficient.
Differential diagnoses
Artefacts and other blood parasites may cause confusion; trained microscopic interpretation is needed.
Associated findings
Correlate fever, geographical exposure, history and testing; determine species and parasitaemia when infection is confirmed.
Red flags
Neurological signs, respiratory distress or organ dysfunction in a suspected case warrants urgent assessment.
Pitfalls and limitations
One initial negative film may not exclude malaria; continue testing if clinical suspicion persists.
Take-home message
Detect, identify and quantify; a teaching image cannot replace complete slide examination.
Sources
- CDC - DPDx - Diagnostic Procedures - Blood Specimens ↗
- Evaluation and Diagnosis of Malaria | Malaria | CDC ↗
Documentary review: 2026-10-12
Media source & rights
- Author
- Lwin KM, Ashley EA, Proux S, Silamut K, Nosten F, McGready R ; recadrage et annotations source : Mikael Häggström
- Original source
- Lwin KM, Ashley EA, Proux S, Silamut K, Nosten F, McGready R ; recadrage et annotations source : Mikael Häggström — File : Thick blood film with Plasmodium falciparum rings and schizonts.png — CC BY 2.0 — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AThick_blood_film_with_Plasmodium_falciparum_rings_and_schizonts.png
- Licence
- CC BY 2.0
- Changes
- EXIF supprimé ; redimensionnement proportionnel ; conversion WebP ; aucun recadrage ni retouche médicale. Dérivé écran proportionnel ≤1280 px, WebP qualité76 ; vignette ≤320 px qualité72. Source acquise et dérivé initial conservés sans modification ; aucune retouche médicale, aucun recadrage.
- Dimensions
- 500 × 350 px
- Check
- 2026-10-11T20:56:25.218200+00:00