Quick Review Cards for Medical Laboratory Science

Differentiation ofPlasmodiumcontinued Clinical Microbiology Review 264

P. FALCIPARUM P. MALARIAE P. OVALE P. VIVAX

Multiple parasites

per cell?

Double chromatin

dots?

Other characteristics

Note: A 5th species, P. knowlesi, now recognized. Can resemble P. malariae or P. falciparum. Differentiate by PCR.

Rare

Rare

Most common. Rarely fatal.

May cause relapses

Yes

Yes

High mortality. Medical

emergency

No

No

Rarely fatal. Band-

shaped trophs

No

No

Least common. Rarely

fatal. May cause relapses

(From Leventhal R, Cheadle RF. Medical

Parasitology: A Self-Instructional Text,

5th ed. Philadelphia: FA Davis; 2002:118.)