Pilot assessment of point-of-care differential white blood cell count analysers in schoolchildren with schistosomiasis

Public health monitoring of schistosomiasis needs appropriate field-based technology, so to expand this portfolio, we conducted a first pilot assessment of point-of-care differential white blood cell count analysers. In total, 120 Malawian primary school children were examined with six key haematological parameters recorded. A notable proportion had abnormal differential white blood cell profiles with eosinophilia (48.3%) positively associated with schistosomiasis (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.3 to 7.7). Whilst costs of equipment and associated tests were non-trivial, both machine performance and haematological information gained were satisfactory. To improve monitoring of schistosomiasis-associated pathologies, the inclusion of differential white blood cell count technology screening appears sensible.