Exflagellation in Plasmodium vivax Malaria: Diagnostic Dilemmas and Solutions
Shailendra Rathod
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Abin Varghese *
Srinivas University, Mangalore, India.
Sam Premkumar Daniel
Al Jalila Children’s Speciality Hospital Dubai, UAE.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Trophozoites gametocytes and Schizonts are the most common developmental stages of Plasmodium vivax found in human blood. Exflagellation of microgametes occurs in mosquitos but not in humans during the life cycle malaria parasite. Exflagellation can occur in collected human blood and may cause diagnostic confusion with organisms such as spirochetes and trypanosomes. We present an unusual case of exfagellation in a six-year-old male patient with exflagellated microgametes, an unusual form of Plasmodium vivax in a human peripheral blood smear that may create diagnostic confusion with organisms such as spirochetes and trypanosomes.
Keywords: Exfagellation, Plasmodium vivax, malaria, microgametes