A case of malaria diagnosed accidentally with Sysmex XN-9000 automated analyzer

Abstract

Malaria is an infectious disease that causes hundreds of deaths each year, in particular in endemic areas. Microscopic examination for confirming malaria parasites in the peripheral blood smear is the gold standard method. In cases where diagnostic suspicion for this pathology is low, especially in non-endemic areas, the haemochromocytometric examination as a diagnostic aid is of fundamental importance. The analytical performances of the novel generation of hematological analyzers using different techniques can identify the presence of the malarial parasites in blood, producing specific cell distributions. Therefore, cell counting performed on all febrile patients can be considered a new diagnostic opportunity in malaria infection.