Table 4.
Questionnaire on knowledge of the morphology of infected RBCs and answers of microscopists
| Point of discrimination |
Plasmodium
species |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
P. falciparum
|
P. vivax
|
P. malariae
|
||||
| n | % | n | % | n | % | |
|
Size of infected red blood cells |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Do not know |
3 |
2.4 |
3 |
2.4 |
3 |
2.4 |
| Small |
49 |
38.6 |
5 |
3.9 |
44 |
34.6 |
| Normal |
74 |
58.3 |
4 |
3.1 |
74 |
58.3 |
| Big |
1 |
0.8 |
114 |
89.8 |
6 |
4.7 |
|
Spots inside infected red blood cells |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Do not know |
5 |
3.9 |
4 |
3.1 |
14 |
11 |
| Maurer’s dots |
104 |
81.9 |
22 |
17.3 |
39 |
30.7 |
| Schuffner’s dots |
16 |
12.6 |
98 |
77.2 |
20 |
15.7 |
| Ziemann’s dots |
2 |
1.6 |
3 |
2.4 |
53 |
41.7 |
|
Several parasites inside the same red blood cell |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Do not know |
5 |
3.9 |
10 |
7.9 |
11 |
8.7 |
| Always |
72 |
56.7 |
40 |
31.5 |
48 |
37.8 |
| Sometimes |
47 |
37 |
55 |
43.3 |
49 |
38.6 |
| Never |
3 |
2.4 |
21 |
16.5 |
18 |
14.2 |
|
Parasite stages in the red blood sample |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Do not know |
8 |
6.3 |
7 |
5.5 |
20 |
15.7 |
| Only the ring form |
59 |
46.5 |
32 |
25.2 |
59 |
46.5 |
| All stages |
60 |
47.2 |
87 |
68.5 |
44 |
34.6 |
|
Big ring structures |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Do not know |
8 |
6.3 |
7 |
5.5 |
9 |
7.1 |
| Always |
94 |
74 |
88 |
69.3 |
54 |
42.5 |
| Never |
25 |
19.7 |
32 |
25.2 |
62 |
48.8 |
|
Chromatin dots |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Do not know |
9 |
7.1 |
9 |
7.1 |
13 |
10.2 |
| Singular number |
69 |
54.3 |
82 |
64.6 |
82 |
64.6 |
| Plural number |
49 |
38.6 |
35 |
27.6 |
30 |
23.6 |
|
Band structures |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Do not know |
2 |
1.6 |
5 |
3.9 |
6 |
4.7 |
| Always |
48 |
37.8 |
34 |
26.8 |
107 |
84.3 |
| Never |
77 |
60.6 |
88 |
69.3 |
14 |
11 |
|
Gametocytes in crescent form |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Do not know |
2 |
1.6 |
5 |
3.9 |
9 |
7.1 |
| Always |
118 |
92.9 |
9 |
7.1 |
19 |
15.0 |
| Never | 7 | 5.5 | 113 | 89 | 99 | 78 |
Correct answers are indicated with bold typeface.