Specific malaria detection with digital holographic microscopy

A method of detecting a possible infection of malaria in a patient, comprising:

• providing a digital holographic microscope (DHM),
• obtaining or providing a sample comprising at least one red blood cell suspected of being affected by malaria obtained from the patient,
• mixing the sample comprising the at least one red blood cell with a buffer solution to form the at least one red blood cell into a sphere shape to form a sphere-shaped red blood cell, and introducing the buffer solution comprising the at least one sphere-shaped red blood cell into a microfluidic device, wherein at least one part of a channel of the microfluidic device is comprised in a focal area of the DHM, or introducing the sample comprising the at least one red blood cell into a microfluidic device, and mixing the sample comprising the at least one red blood cell with a buffer solution to form the at least one red blood cell into a sphere shape to form a sphere-shaped red blood cell, wherein at least one part of a channel of the microfluidic device is comprised in a focal area of the DHM,
• guiding the at least one sphere-shaped red blood cell into the focal area of the DHM,
• detecting the at least one sphere-shaped red blood cell with the DHM, and
• determining whether the at least one red blood cell is affected by malaria to determine whether the patient is infected by malaria.