We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Health

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is Parasitemia?

Nicole Madison
By
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 10,342
Share

Parasitemia is a condition in which parasites are present in a person's or animal's blood. In evaluating a medical condition, the term parasitemia may be used to indicate the number of parasites infecting the person or animal. It may also be used to determine the degree to which the person or animal suffers from an infection caused by parasites.

Measuring parasitemia can be important in diagnosing a patient with a parasitic infection. It may also be critical during treatment and prognosis evaluation. For example, curing a patient of certain types of parasitic infections requires lowering his parasitemia to a level of zero. This is particularly true of chronic phases of parasitic infection.

Often, parasitemia is measured using an optical microscope. This type of microscope is frequently called a light microscope because it employs visible light and lenses to help users see the samples they are analyzing. An optical microscope enables users to see very tiny samples. Sometimes polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a molecular biology technique, is used to analyze parasitemia. PCR involves the amplification of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), which is genetic material, and the generation of copies of DNA sequences, which are letters used to represent DNA strands. It is commonly used not only in diagnosing diseases, including some parasitic infections, but also in genetic research and testing.

Often, parasitemia is discussed in relation to malaria, a disease that is spread through the bites of some mosquitoes. This infection occurs when an infected mosquito bites a person or animal and transmits parasites of the following species: Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale, and Plasmodium malariae. Blood smears can be used in the microscopic analysis and diagnosis of malaria. Thick smears are considered more sensitive for identifying parasitema and screening for the presence of malaria parasites while thin smears can be good for identifying malarial parasite species and figuring out the quantity of parasites that are present.

To analyze parasitemia using thick and thin blood smears, a doctor pricks the patient’s skin to obtain drops of blood. For a thick smear, a drop of blood is placed on a slide made of glass. This type is better for detecting parasitemia because the sample of analyzed blood is larger than that of a thin blood smear, and the amount of parasites may be low at the time of testing, requiring a larger blood sample. With a thin blood smear, a drop of blood is spread around an area of the slide, allowing laboratory scientists to have an easier time discovering the species of the parasite and the percentage of red blood cells that are infected by it.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Nicole Madison
By Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison's love for learning inspires her work as a WiseGeek writer, where she focuses on topics like homeschooling, parenting, health, science, and business. Her passion for knowledge is evident in the well-researched and informative articles she authors. As a mother of four, Nicole balances work with quality family time activities such as reading, camping, and beach trips.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison's love for learning inspires her work as a WiseGeek writer, where she focuses on topics like...
Learn more
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-is-parasitemia.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.