Increased ovalocytic red cells and their low parasitemia in malaria infected subjects
Apibal, S.; Suwannurak, R.; Bunyaratvej, A.; Bunyaratvej, P.; Boonpucknavig, V.
Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand 72(3): 129-131
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0125-2208 PMID: 2661709 Document Number: 345822
Ovalocytic red blood cells were significantly increased in the peripheral blood films of patients infected with Plasmodium falciparum (mean .+-. S.D. = 6.3 .+-. 8.4%) and P. vivax (8.3 .+-. 14.0%), whereas, there was only 0.6 .+-. 0.4 per cent ovalocytes in normal individuals. Per cent parasitemia of ovalocytes counted at least 100 ovalocytes of the blood films of malaria infected individuals was significantly reduced when compared with that of discocytes which revealed at least 100 discocytes in the same blood smears. Relative increase in ovalocyte and their low parasitemia might be the response of malaria infected individuals to cope with malaria multiplication in their circulation.