Open AccessExflagellated microgametes of <i> Plasmodium vivax</i> in human peripheral blood: A case report and review of the literature
Author(s) -
Prashant Tembhare,
Shalaka Shirke,
Papagudi Ganesan Subramanian,
Kunal Sehgal,
Sumeet Gujral
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
indian journal of pathology and microbiology/indian journal of pathology and microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 0974-5130
pISSN - 0377-4929
DOI - 10.4103/0377-4929.48936
Subject(s) - gametocyte , malaria , malarial parasites , peripheral blood , plasmodium vivax , confusion , plasmodium (life cycle) , diagnosis of malaria , biology , parasite hosting , peripheral , blood smear , pathology , medicine , immunology , plasmodium falciparum , psychology , world wide web , computer science , psychoanalysis
Peripheral blood smear examination is the most specific as well as the most common test performed for the diagnosis of malaria. Schizonts, ring forms (trophozoites) and gametocytes are the stages of malarial parasite that are commonly seen in the peripheral blood smear of a patient. Here, we report an extremely rare case of a 40-year-old male patient who presented with Plasmodium vivax infection with multiple exflagellated microgametes in the peripheral blood smear with review of the literature. Exflagellation of microgametes in malarial parasites is only seen in the definitive host, mosquito, and is very unusual to see during the developmental phases in the intermediate host, human. It is important to recognize these exflagellated microgametes in the peripheral blood smear as they may lead to diagnostic confusion with organisms such as spirochetes and trypanosomes.