Detection and quantification of Babesia species intraerythrocytic parasites by flow cytometry.

Objectives: Recent work has demonstrated that automated fluorescence flow cytometry (FLC) is a potential alternative for the detection and quantification of Plasmodium parasites. The objective of this study was to apply this novel FLC method to detect and quantify Babesia parasites in venous blood and compare results to light microscopy and polymerase chain reaction methods.

Methods: An automated hematology/malaria analyzer (XN-31; Sysmex) was used to detect and quantify B microti-infected red blood cells from residual venous blood samples (n = 250: Babesia positive, n = 170; Babesia negative, n = 80).