RELATIVE AGE APPEARANCE
SPECIES OF INFECTED OF INFECTED MORPHOLOGIC FORM
RBC RBC
GROWING IMMATURE MATURE
RING FORM MICROGAMETOCYTE MACROGAMETOCYTE
TROPHOZOITE SCHIZONT SCHIZONT
Only young Enlarged, *Delicate cytoplasmic *Irregular *Multiple *12 to 24 *Large pink to purple *Round to oval cytoplasm
and immature distorted ring measuring 1/3 of ameboid chromatin bodies merozoites occupy chromatin mass *Eccentric chromatin mass
cells RBC diameter appearance *Often contains most of infected surrounded by colorless to *Delicate light-brown
*Ring remnants clumps of brown red blood cell pale halo pigment – may be visible
*Single chromatin dot common pigment *Merozoites *Brown pigment common throughout cell
P. vivax Ring surrounds a *Brown pigment surrounded by
vacuole becomes apparent, cytoplasmic
increase in number material
*Accole forms possible and visibility as *Brown pigment
parasites mature may be present
Only young Oval and *Resembles that of P. *Ring apperance Progressive *Parasites occupy *Similar to P. vivax, only *Similar to P. vivax, only
and immature enlarged, vivax usually maintained dividing chromatin 75% of RBCs smaller in size; smaller in size;
cells distorted with until late in surrounded by *Round to oval cytoplasm
ragged cell *Ring larger in size than development cytoplasmic *Rosette *Large pink to purple *Eccentric chromatin mass
P. ovale walls P. vivax material – often arrangement of chromatin mass *Delicate light-brown
*Ameboid maintains circular merozoites surrounded by colorless to pigment – may be visible
*Ring thick and often tendecies not as shape early in (average of eight pale halo throughout cell
somewhat ameboid in evident as in P. development merozoites *Brown pigment common
appearance vivax typically present)
P. Only mature Normal size, *Smaller than P. vivax *Non-ameboid Similar to that of P. *Typically contains *Similar to P. vivax, only *Similar to P. vivax, only
cells no distortion *Occupy 1/6 of the RBC solid cytoplasm vivax, only smaller, 6 to 12 merozoites smaller in size smaller in size, pigment
malariae that may assume may contain large arranged in *pigment usually darker usually darker and coarser
*Heavy chromatin dot roundish, oval, and dark rosettes or and coarser *Older forms assume an
band, or bar shape peripheral or irregular clusters oval shape
*Vacuole may appear central granules *Central *Older forms assume an *Round to oval cytoplasm
filled in *Cytoplasm arrangement of oval shape *Eccentric chromatin mass
Pigment contains coarse brown-green *Delicate light-brown
characteristically forms dark brown pigment may be *Large pink to purple pigment – may be visible
early pigment; may mask visible chromatin mass throughout cell
chromatin material *Infected RBC may surrounded by colorless to
Vacuoles absent in not be seen pale halo
mature stages because
developing *Brown pigment common
parasites often fill
the cell completely
PLASMODIUM SPEICES
RELATIVE AGE APPEARANCE
GROWING IMMATURE MATURE
SPECIES OF INFECTED OF INFECTED RING FORM MICROGAMETOCYTE MACROGAMETOCYTE
TROPHOZOITE SCHIZONT SCHIZONT
RBC RBC
May infect Normal size, *Circle configuration *Heavy rings Multiple chromatin Typically consists *Sausage- or crescent- *Sausage- or crescent-
cells of all no distortion (one chromatin dot) or common bodies surrounded of 8-36 merozoites shaped shaped
ages headphone by cytoplasm (average 24) in
configuration (two *Fine pigment Only detected in cluster *Dispersed central *Compact chromatin
P. chromatin dots) granules severe infections arrangement chromatin with nearby *Black pigment surrounding
falciparu *Scanty cytoplasm Only detected in black pigment usually chromatin may be present
Small vacuole usually *Mature forms severe infections visible
m visible only seen in severe
*Multiple rings infections
common
*Accole forms possible
