Blood smear analysis in babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, relapsing fever, malaria, and Chagas disease.
Blood smear analysis is especially useful for diagnosing five infectious diseases: babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, relapsing fever due to Borrelia infection, malaria, and American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease). It should be performed in patients with persistent or recurring fever or in those who have traveled to the developing world or who have a history of tick exposure, especially if accompanied by hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, or hepatosplenomegaly.
Blevins
Steve M
SM
Department of Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73190, USA. Steve-Blevins@ouhsc.edu
Greenfield
Ronald A
RA
Bronze
Michael S
MS
D001404:Babesiosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000382:microbiology; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000382:microbiology; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000382:microbiology; D005334:Fever / Q000097:blood* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000097:blood* / Q000382:microbiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D017211:Treatment Failure