Plasmodium malariae – Schizont on thin blood smear (MGG stain X 1000)

France, CHU Dijon Parasitologie-Mycologie

The equatorial band forms of large trophozoites or schizonts of P. malariae are typical. Such forms may be encountered with other Plasmodium species, but RBC parasitized with P. malariae are smaller and more colored.