August, 2003

Case 113:
A 39-year-old male Liberian native, currently living in Rhode Island, has sickle cell thalassemia.  His condition made it necessary for him to receive multiple blood transfusions.  He began feeling ill early in the month and was admitted to the hospital several weeks later.  Figures A-D are images taken from his blood smears.  What is your diagnosis?  Based on what criteria?

A	B

C	D

Acknowledgement: This case was kindly provided by the Rhode Island Department of Health Laboratory.

Click here for the answer to Case 113.

Case 114:
A 32-year-old freelance photographer went on a field assignment in the Amazon rain forest.  Upon his return, he complained of intermittent abdominal discomfort such as mild cramping and occasional loose stools.  The company he had traveled for instructed him to report to their health clinic for a check-up.  He provided a stool specimen for an O & P (ova and parasites) examination.  Figures A-E are images of organisms that were seen on a LV-PVA smear, stained with Wheatley's trichrome and examined at 1000× magnification.  What is your diagnosis?  Based on what criteria?

A	B

C	D

E

Click here for the answer to Case 114.

Images presented in the monthly case studies are from specimens submitted for diagnosis or archiving.  On rare occasions, clinical histories given may be partly fictitious.