Difference between Thick Blood Smears and Thin Blood Smears

Different studies show that there are two blood smears i.e. thick blood smear and thin blood smear. Specialists utilize thin and thick blood smears to figure out if anyone has malaria. Blood smears are taken frequently from a finger prick. Thin and thick blood smears will tell specialists the rate of red blood cells that are tainted by the amount of parasites and what kinds of parasite are there in blood. Blood filtering is often performed for differential leukocyte count (DLC) i.e. it takes into account white blood cells and determines the morphologies of-leukocyte. Routinely, peripheral blood is used to begin preparing the test, and obviously it depends on the function of the test. Two types of smear can be prepared.

What is blood smear?

Blood smear are basic procedures to be conducted to show and collect information on blood cells, qualitatively and quantitatively. Quantitative significance enables the counting of blood cells, whereas the qualitative role is to explain and classify cell morphologies, including forms of leukocytes, erythrocytes, monocytes and platelets. Blood smear are also used to identify hematological disorders, i.e. by analyzing morphologies and trying to quantify cell numbers.

Thick Blood Smear                       

A thick blood smear is usually a drop of blood on a glass slide. Thick blood smears are the most valuable for identifying the vicinity of parasites, in light of the fact that they inspect a bigger example of blood. Sometimes a couple of parasites are there in the blood by the point the test is over.

Thick blood smears comprise of a thick film of dehemoglobinized (lysed) red blood cells (RBCs). The blood components (counting parasites, if any) are more focused (application. 30×) than in an equivalent territory of a meager smear. In this manner, thick spreads permit a more proficient location of parasites that are expanded affectability.

Thin Blood Smear

A thin blood smear is usually a drop of blood that is widening over an extensive range of the slide. Thin blood smears assists specialists with discovering what types of malaria is creating the disease. The aim is to allow malaria parasites to be shown in within the RBC and also to evaluate the size of RBCs infected comparison to healthy RBCs.

Thick Blood Smear VS Thin Blood Smear

Thick blood smear and thin blood smear differs in their definition, uses and sensitivity  and these are given below

• Definition

A thick blood smear is said to be a drop of blood on a glass slide.

A thin blood smear can be defined as a drop of blood that is spread over an expansive region of the slide.

• Use

Thick blood smears are most valuable for identifying the vicinity of parasites.

Thin blood smears are useful to find which types of parasite are bringing on the disease.

• Purpose

In thick blood smears the blood movies must be laked by or amid discoloring to break all the red blood cells so that just parasites white blood cells, platelets can be seen.

In thin blood smears the intention is to permit malarial parasites to be seen inside of the red blood cell and to evaluate the measure of the tainted red blood cells contrasted with uninfected red blood cells.

• Sensitivity

Thick blood smear permit a more proficient recognition of parasites that are expanded sensitivity 11 times more than thin blood smear.

Thin blood smear are less sensitive as compare to thick blood smear particularly where there are low number of parasitemia.

• Efficient

Thick smear make it possible to detect parasites more efficiently (increased sensitivity 11 times that of thin smear).

Thin smear is less sensitive than thick film, particularly when there is low parasitemia.

• Methanol

Thick blood smear cannot fix in methanol.

Whereas, thin blood smear can be fix in methanol.

• Layer of RBC

In thick blood smear, there are many layers of red blood cells are there.

Thin blood smear have only one layer of red blood cell.

• Advantage

This is a fast, simple technique that requires basic equipment and both can be done with very small amounts of blood.

• Disadvantage

We have to use clean slides to prevent the creation of grease spots (holes in the frost).There should be rapid air drying of the test to preserve cell morphologies And there should be daily use of the technique to produce reliable blood tests

Conclusion

A thick blood smear is said to be a drop of blood on a glass slide whereas a thin blood smear can be defined as a drop of blood that is spread over an expansive region of the slide. Thick blood smears are most valuable for identifying the vicinity of parasites but thin blood smears are useful to find which types of parasite are bringing on the disease. In thick blood smears the blood movies must be amid discoloring to break all the red blood cells but in thin blood smears the intention is to permit malarial parasites to be seen inside of the red blood cell. Thin blood smear are less sensitive as compare to thick blood smear particularly where there are low number of parasitemia. Thick blood smear cannot fix in methanol but other can be fixed in methanol. In thick blood smear, there are many layers of red blood cells are there but thin blood smear have only one layer of red blood. Which one is more valuable according to your opinion to identify vicinity of parasites?

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