Computerized Shape Analysis Of Erythrocytes And Their Formed Aggregates In Patients Infected With P.Vivax Malaria

Human plasmodial malaria is a severe infection of the erythrocytes with significant morbidity and mortality. The dimensional changes induced by P.vivax malaria parasites in erythrocytes in human blood are prominent and varies with the degree of parasitaemia. Aggregation of erythrocytes is a common finding in patients infected with malaria. The changes in the shape of erythrocyte and its cytoplasm have been determined by shape descriptors and gray scale variation of the cytoplasm by microscopic imaging and image processing tools. The computerized shape analysis is carried out from the digital images obtained under microscope by shape descriptors based on projected area, perimeter and form factor,as measured by processing of images of erythrocytes in patients undergoing treatment for malaria. The changes induced in the cytoplasm by the malaria parasite are determined by the scanning of erythrocytes images along the horizontal diameter. The levels of aggregation of erythrocytes corresponding to the levels of infection, is measured and compared with normal samples. Growth of malaria parasite within the cytoplasm of the erythrocyte has also been measured. The measurable deviations in various other entities of the erythrocytes in a malaria patients using image processing techniques, has also been discussed.