Q: Babesiosis is a malaria-like parasitic disease which resides inside erythrocytes. It can be differentiated from Malaria by "Maltese cross formations" on the blood film. What are  "Maltese cross formations"?


Answer:  "Maltese cross formations" are pathognomonic of babesiosis, since they are not seen in malaria, though both resides inside the erythrocytes. Peripheral blood smear shows RBC with parasitic inclusions forming a piroplasmic tetrad, also known as "maltese cross formations".