[Biological diagnosis of malaria: dangers of the automated blood differential count].

Automated differential counting systems deprive laboratories of blood smear study and so malaria risks not to be diagnosed if plasmodium search is not prescribed by the physician. Some abnormalities (atypical lymphocytes called LUC and thrombopenia) can induce a blood smear. But a study of 96 patients shows that, during the first analysis, these abnormalities can miss for nearly a third of one's case. So it is very important to prescribe malaria search on blood smears when there is the least clinical symptom.