<unk>  is the quantitative content of parasites in the blood. It is used as a measurement of parasite load in the organism and an indication of the degree of an active parasitic infection. Systematic measurement of<unk>  is important in many phases of the assessment of disease, such as in diagnosis and in the follow-up of therapy, particularly in the chronic phase, when cure depends on ascertaining a<unk>  of zero. The methods to be used for quantifying<unk>  depends on the parasitic species and its life cycle. For instance, in malaria, the number of blood-stage parasites can be counted using an optical microscope, on a special thick film (for low<unk> s) or thin film blood smear (for high<unk> s). The use of molecular biology techniques, such as PCR has been used increasingly as a tool to measure<unk> , especially in patients in the chronic phase of disease. In this technique, blood samples are obtained from the patient, and specific DNA of the parasite is extracted and amplified by PCR.
Parasitemia
Leukocytosis
Bilirubinuria
Reticulocytosis
Lycopenemia
Lymphocytosis
Splenomegaly
Plasmacytosis