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[Blood] [Stool] [Tissue]

Miscellaneous blood and tissue elements.

A	B

A: Unidentified objects (probably fungal) in a thin blood smear, stained with Giemsa.  Such objects may be confused for amastigotes of Leishmania or Trypanosoma cruzi, but the lack of a distinct nucleus and kinetoplast should rule-out these parasites.
B: Yeast in a Giemsa-stained tissue biopsy.  Such objects may be confused for amastigotes of Leishmania or Trypanosoma cruzi, but the lack of a distinct nucleus and kinetoplast should rule-out these parasites.

C	D

C, D: Nucleated red blood cells in a thin blood smear, stained with Giemsa.  There are several conditions which can cause a premature release of nucleated red blood cells into circulation.  Such objects may be confused for schizonts of Plasmodium spp.

E

E: Howell-Jolly bodies in a thin blood smear, stained with Giemsa.  Howell-Jolly bodies are inclusion that may be seen in splenectomized patients or patients with an otherwise non-functioning or atrophic spleen, and in patients with severe anemia or leukemia.