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SPECIMEN
COLLECTION: Blood
Tips
and Pitfalls
-
Blood for a suspect case of malaria should be drawn immediately;
this is always a STAT request. The patient
may not exhibit any fever periodicity, particularly in
in the early stages of an infection, but may be very ill
(Plasmodium falciparum).
-
When using the purple top (EDTA) collection tube, fill
the tube; otherwise, the blood/anticoagulant ratio will
not be optimal. Organism morphology can be poor if the
amount of blood is too little per tube.
-
Development of the malaria parasites will continue within
the blood cells in a tube of blood, particularly if the
cap is removed and the blood cools to room temperature.
Exflagellation and fertilization may occur in the blood
(normally occurs within the mosquito stomach after a blood
meal) with the development of ookinetes (mosquito stages);
they will mimic Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes.
-
Blood parasites are infectious; use Universal Precautions
at all times!
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