Classification of Plasmodium vivax as artefactual cells by the CellaVision DM9600: a system limitation in a non-endemic area.
Ling-Chen Chien, Fang-Tzy Wu, Shih-Fen Hsu et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
Case in brief
A 46-year-old Taiwanese man returning from Indonesia presented with fever and thrombocytopenia. An automated cellular morphology analyzer misidentified Plasmodium vivax as artefactual cells, delaying diagnosis. Confirmation was achieved through peripheral blood smear and PCR. The patient was treated with artemether-lumefantrine and primaquine, leading to rapid recovery without relapse.
What made this case unusual
The case highlights a diagnostic challenge where an automated analyzer misclassified Plasmodium vivax, which is significant in non-endemic areas.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
Clinicians should be aware that automated analyzers may misidentify malaria parasites as artefactual cells, particularly in non-endemic regions.
Why it matters
This case underscores the importance of corroborating automated results with manual microscopy and PCR in diagnosing malaria.