title: Use of buffy coat thick films in detecting malaria parasites in patients with negative conventional thick films.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the frequency of malaria parasite detection from the buffy coat blood films by using capillary tube in falciparum malaria patients with negative conventional thick films.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty six uncomplicated falciparum malaria patients confirmed by conventional thick and thin films were included in the study. The patients were treated with artemisinin combination therapy at Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Bangkok, Thailand for 28 day. Fingerpricks for conventional blood films were conducted every 6 hours until negative parasitemia, then daily fingerpricks for parasite checks were conducted until the patients were discharged from hospital. Blood samples were also concurrently collected in 3 heparinized capillary tubes at the same time of fingerpricks for conventional blood films when the prior parasitemia was negative on thin films and parasitemia was lower than 50 parasites/200 white blood cells by thick film. The first negative conventional thick films were compared with buffy coat thick films for parasite identification.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 36 patients with thick films showing negative for asexual forms of parasites, buffy coat films could detect remaining 10 patients (27.8%) with asexual forms of Plasmodium falciparum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study shows that buffy coat thick films are useful and can detect malarial parasites in 27.8% of patients whose conventional thick films show negative parasitemia.
authors.affiliation: Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Chatnapa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Duangdee
authors.forename: Noppadon
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tangpukdee
authors.forename: Srivicha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krudsood
authors.forename: Polrat
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wilairatana
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D058621:Blood Buffy Coat / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods*; D018512:Parasitemia; D010274:Parasitology / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Buffy coat; Detection; Falciparum malaria; Malaria; Malaria parasite; Microscopy; Parasitemia; Plasmodium falciparum; Thick film