Morphology: elongated organism with undulating membrane, dark nucleus located centrally, small round purple dot (kinetoplast) located at anterior end, and flagellum extending from posterior end. Usually seen in a curved C… Read more Trypanosomes →
Morphology: long worm-like organism in the background of peripheral blood smear. Look alike: trypanosomes, other filarial organisms such as equine onchocerciasis (Onchocerca cervicalis) and canine heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) Clinical relevance: Setaria equina is… Read more Setaria equina →
Morphology: intracellular yeast-like organisms with a pseudocapsule in the cytoplasm of neutrophils and monocytes. May be 1 – 20 organisms per cell. Organisms may be present in > 25% of… Read more Histoplasma →
Morphology: small blue cocci, rings, or rods on the surface of red blood cells. May be observed in the background between red blood cells (bacteria fall off of red cells… Read more Mycoplasma →
Morphology: small ring-shaped piroplasms with a dark eccentric nucleus inside red blood cells. Usually 1 – 2 piroplasms per red cell. Look alikes: siderocytes, Howell-jolly bodies, Babesia felis Commonly seen with: Mycoplasma haemofelis (concurrent… Read more Cytauxzoon felis →
Morphology: single or multiple pear-shaped (pyriform) organisms within red blood cells. Organisms stain dark purple around the periphery and clear in the centre. Look alike: Histoplasma capsulatum Commonly seen with: other tick-borne rickettsial… Read more Babesia →
Morphology: small, round, dark purple inclusions located at the periphery of red cells. Usually 1 – 2 bacteria per red cell. Present in up to 90% of red cells. Look alike: Howell-Jolly… Read more Anaplasma marginale →
Cells and Smears 