The Great Mimicry: Platelet Artefacts Masquerading as Trypanosomes

Introduction: Peripheral smear evaluation is essential in hematologic diagnosis, but EDTA-induced and storage-related artefacts can mimic infections, malignancies, or thrombocytopenia by altering blood cell morphology.Recognizing these artefacts is crucial to avoid misdiagnosis, and a fresh fingerprick smear may be necessary for accurate assessment.Case Presentation: We report an uncommon case of artefactual platelet morphology mimicking flagellated hemoparasites on peripheral smear in a 45-year-old male with chronic kidney disease stage V on dialysis, who presented with headache, nausea, and severe hypertension (BP 260/160 mmHg).His hemogram revealed anemia (Hb 5 g/dL), leukopenia (3.9 10/L), and a normal platelet count (1.02 10/L), with no history of fever or blood loss, and renal function was markedly deranged (serum creatinine 6.40 mg/dL).A Leishman-stained smear from an early morning EDTA sample showed burr cells and numerous extracellular, slender, eosinophilic, tapered Case Report