Methods and apparatuses for identifying red blood cells infected by plasmodium

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the field of medical technology, which provides methods and apparatuses for identifying red blood cells infected by plasmodium. The methods may include: obtaining a forward-scattered light signal, a side-scattered light signal and an optional fluorescence signal from cells in a blood sample; obtaining a first two-dimensional scattergram according to the forward-scattered light signal and the side-scattered light signal, or obtaining a three-dimensional scattergram according to the forward-scattered light signal, the side-scattered light signal and the fluorescence signal; and identifying cells located in a predetermined area of the first two-dimensional scattergram or the three-dimensional scattergram as the red blood cells infected by plasmodium. The apparatuses perform the methods. The methods and apparatuses can have better identification accuracy.

1 . An apparatus for identifying red blood cells infected by plasmodium while classifying white blood cells in a blood sample, said apparatus comprising:
 a blood treatment device, configured to treat the blood sample with a reagent comprising a hemolytic agent for lysing normal red blood cells to obtain a treated blood sample, wherein the normal red blood cells are lysed into erythrocyte ghosts;   a detector, configured to detect a forward-scattered light intensity, a side-scattered light intensity and a fluorescence intensity from cells in the treated blood sample; and   a data processor, configured to obtain a three-dimensional scattergram generated from a combination of the forward-scattered light intensity, the side-scattered light intensity and the fluorescence intensity, and identify cells located in a defined area of the three-dimensional scattergram as the red blood cells infected by plasmodium,   wherein the cells located in the defined area are separated from an area where the erythrocyte ghosts are located.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the defined area is determined according to a location of normal white blood cells and a function describing the relative location between an area of normal white blood cells and an area of red blood cells infected by plasmodium. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , said apparatus further comprising:
 a counting unit, configured to count a number of the red blood cells infected by plasmodium in the defined area; and   a first warning unit, configured to give a warning signal when the number of the red blood cells infected by plasmodium is more than a first threshold value.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the data processor is further configured to acquire a blood routine examination parameter of erythrocytic series which correlates with plasmodium; said apparatus further comprising:
 a counting unit, configured to count a number of the red blood cells infected by plasmodium in the defined area; and   a second warning unit, configured to give a warning signal when the number of the red blood cells infected by plasmodium is less than a first threshold value and more than a second threshold value, and the blood routine examination parameter of erythrocytic series is out of a normal range.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the blood routine examination parameter of erythrocytic series which correlates with plasmodium is selected from red blood cell count, hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular volume, or hematocrit. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said data processor is further configured to obtain a two-dimensional scattergram generated from the side-scattered light intensity and the fluorescensce intensity; said apparatus further comprising:
 a counting unit, configured to count a number of the red blood cells infected by plasmodium in the defined area; and   a third warning unit, configured to give a warning signal when a cell population having higher fluorescence intensity than lymphocytes appears in the two-dimensional scattergram, and the number of cells in the defined area is more than a third threshold value.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , said apparatus further comprising:
 a counting unit, configured to count a number of the red blood cells infected by plasmodium in the defined area; and   a fourth warning unit, configured to give a warning signal when a cell population having higher fluorescence intensity than lymphocytes appears in the three-dimensional scattergram, and the number of cells in the defined area is more than a third threshold value.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the white blood cells are at least classified into monocytes and lymphocytes, at least according to the side-scattered light intensity and the fluorescence intensity. 
     
     
         9 . A method for identifying red blood cells infected by plasmodium while classifying white blood cells in a blood sample, said method comprising:
 treating the blood sample with a reagent comprising a hemolytic agent for lysing normal red blood cells, wherein the normal red blood cells are lysed into erythrocyte ghosts;   transmitting light into the blood sample;   detecting a forward-scattered light intensity, a side-scattered light intensity and a fluorescence intensity from cells in the blood sample;   obtaining a three-dimensional scattergram generated from a combination of the forward-scattered light intensity, the side-scattered light intensity and the fluorescence intensity; and   identifying cells located in a defined area of the three-dimensional scattergram as the red blood cells infected by plasmodium,   wherein the cells located in the defined area are separated from an area where the erythrocyte ghosts are located.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the defined area is determined according to a location of normal white blood cells and a function describing the relative location between an area of normal white blood cells and an area of red blood cells infected by plasmodium. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 9 , said method further comprising:
 counting a number of the red blood cells infected by plasmodium in the defined area; and   giving a warning signal when the number of the red blood cells infected by plasmodium is more than a first threshold value.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 9 , said method further comprising:
 counting a number of the red blood cells infected by plasmodium in the defined area;   obtaining a blood routine examination parameter of erythrocytic series which correlates with plasmodium of the blood sample; and   giving a warning signal when the number of the red blood cells infected by plasmodium is less than a first threshold value and more than a second threshold value, and the blood routine examination parameter of erythrocytic series is out of a normal range.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 9 , said method further comprising:
 counting a number of the red blood cells infected by plasmodium in the defined area;   obtaining an at least two-dimensional scattergram generated from the side-scattered light intensity and the fluorescensce intensity; and   giving a warning signal when a cell population having higher fluorescence intensity than monocytes appears in the at least two-dimensional scattergram, and the number of cells in the defined area is more than a third threshold value.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 9 , said method further comprising:
 counting a number of the red blood cells infected by plasmodium in the defined area; and   giving a warning signal when a cell population having higher fluorescence intensity than monocytes appears in the three-dimensional scattergram, and the number of cells in the defined area is more than a third threshold value.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the white blood cells are classified into at least four groups, three of the at least four groups respectively correspond to monocytes, lymphocytes and eosinophils, and one of the at least four groups corresponds to neutrophils and basophils.