Plasmodium malariae

Growing trophozoite (band form)

- Without pseudopodia

- Rounded or bandshaped

- Vacuoles small or absent

- No stippling

- RBCs normal to smaller size

Older trophozoite

- Compact cytoplasm

- Less vacuoles

- No stippling

Young schizont

- Enlarged cytoplasm

- four nuclei (chromatin)

- RBC normal to smaller size

- Pigment is beginning to concentrate (brownish/yellowish)

Mature schizont

- Single merozoites visible (up to 8 counts).

Ruptured schizont

- RBC bursted

- Single merozoites visible (8 counts)

Macrogametocyte

- Chromatin small

- Eccentric and dark red

- Cytoplasm homogeneous

• Blue
• Without vacuoles
• Pigment scattered

Macrogametocyte fills the RBC but smaller than P. vivax