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Home > Conditions & Concerns > Diagnostic Tests > Routine Hematological Tests

Routine Hematological Tests

Parasites 

Blood parasites cause a number of ailments which are more prevalent in tropical counties. 

The common diseases caused are malaria, Kala Azar and sleeping sickness.

The parasites found are: 

A) The following parasites cause Malaria

	Plasmodium vivax
	Plasmodium malariae
	Plasmodium falciparum
	Plasmodium ovale

B) The following parasites cause Visceral Leishmaniasis,
Dumdum Fever or Kala Azar

Leishmania donovani

C) The following parasites cause African Sleeping Sickness

Trypanosoma brucei gambiense

Various Blood Tests

Hemoglobin
    Determination

Total Erythrocyte
    (RBC) Count.

Total Leucocyte
    (WBC) Count

Differential WBC
     Count

Platelets Count

Abnormalities Of
    Erythrocytes

Abnormalities Of
    Leucocytes

Parasites

Packed Cell
   Volume (PCV)

Mean Corpuscular
    Volume (MCV)

Mean Corpuscular
    Hemoglobin
    (MCH)

Mean Corpuscular
    Hemoglobin
    Concentration
    (MCHC)

Color Index

Tabular
    Representation Of
    Normal Values

Glossary Of
    Terms Used

D) The following parasites cause Filaria

	Wuchereria bancrofti
	Mansonella perstans
	Brugia timori
	Mansonella ozzardi
	Brugia malayi
	Lao Loa

 Packed Cell Volume (PCV)

PCV (packed cell volume) is the amount of packed red blood cells after centrifugation.  It is expressed in the percentage of total blood volume.

Normal values

Increase in PCV is due to Polycythemia, dehydration, emphysema, and congenital heart disease. 

Decrease in PCV is due to different types of anemia, hydremia (excessive fluid in the blood which occurs in pregnancy).

Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV)

MCV - Mean Cell Volume

	Normal value:  82 -92 cu mm.
	Increased MCV indicates macrocytic anemias.
	Decreased MCV indicates microcytic anemias.

Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH)

MCH - Mean Cell hemoglobin

	Normal value:  27 - 32 pg (pg = 1 picogram = 10-12 g).
	Increased value indicates macrocytic anemia.
	Decreased value indicates hypochromia.

Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC)

Normal Value - 32-36%

	Increased value indicates spherocytosis.
	Decreased value indicates Hypochromic anemias.

Color Index

It is average amount of hemoglobin in the red cell compared to normal.

	Normal color index - 0.85 - 1.15
	Increase in the color index indicates megaloblastic anemias.
	Decrease in the color index indicates hypochromic anemia.