Is flow cytometry better in counting malaria pigment-containing leukocytes compared to microscopy?

• Published in: Malaria Journal
• Main Authors: Längin Matthias, Frita Rosangela, Hänscheid Thomas, Kremsner Peter G, Grobusch Martin P
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2009
• Subjects: Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-8-255; https://doaj.org/article/d23df4777bf94426aee7cda1d4a01f3b

Abstract 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.