False positive results in the capillary tube fluorescent staining method for malaria

Howell-Jolly bodies (HJB)are composedof DNA which will apparently take the fluorescent dye used to stain the chromatin })()(lies of the malarial parasites (MP). While evaluating a capillary tuhe / fluorescent staining technique for malaria we came across this previously unreportedfalse positive effect of HJB in ten cases, all negative microscopi-call) for MP and not originally requestedfor that test. All gave positive results, the degree of which correlated well with the frequency ofHJB. The positivity concentrated in the upper red cell layer of the capillary tube where MP rings also concentrate.