Saturday Morning Coffee, My Very Own Symbiote

Ok so I officially think Saturdays are going to be for the parasitologists.....they are a funny bunch anyway lol! To me it is one of the more fascinating aspects of micro where you can know so much and have get that wonderful feeling when you spot a fantastic slide with some beautiful identifying features on it. So without further ado, I am going to try and get some of you going with another mini-microbe meetup! (O btw, the pics from now on will remain as named unk!HAHAHA Thanks for the tip you know who!)

A 42 year old male, has come to the ER after having a seizure, seems dazed, and extremely fatigued. After ruling out heart attack, and a stroke doctors draw a blood culture for stat screening and culture, after interviewing the patients wife, she described a notable weight loss, and change in attitude in her husband since their recent return from their trek around the world. She attributed it mainly to the stress coming down from the trip.

The cultures were received by you and after a gram stain and 96 hour blood culture there were no organisms seen. After several other tests have come back negative a thin blood smear stained with giemsa was ordered and this is the results:

Ok so hit the books, and study up on your parasites because this should be good!