Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 18, 2026
In Vivo Assessment of Rodent Plasmodium Parasitemia and Merozoite Invasion by Flow Cytometry
Published on: April 5, 2015
Is flow cytometry better in counting malaria pigment-containing leukocytes compared to microscopy?
Thomas Hänscheid1, Rosangela Frita, Matthias Längin
1Medical Research Unit, Hôpital Albert Schweitzer, Lambaréné, Gabon.
Background:
Detection of malaria pigment (or haemozoin; Hz)-containing leukocytes may have prognostic relevance in malaria; however, studies reported conflicting results, with microscopic counts suggestive of being inaccurate and imprecise.
Methods:
Numbers of Hz-containing leukocytes from a malaria patient obtained with a flow cytometer counting 50.000 gated events were compared with thin film microscopy as applied under field conditions.
Results:
Flow cytometry identified 5.8% Hz-containing monocytes and 1.8% Hz-containing neutrophils. The microscopic examination yielded 10% and 13% of Hz-containing monocytes, as well as 0% and 0.5% of Hz-containing neutrophils for observers one and two, respectively.
Conclusion:
Novel, robust and affordable cytometric methods should be evaluated in the field as they may assist in utilizing Hz-containing cells as clinically useful parameter.
