Patent ID: 8148101

Claim:
A method of differentiating bacteria from white blood cells or erythroblasts in a body fluid, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing an automated hematology analyzer capable of measuring multi-angle light scatter and fluorescence, the automated hematology analyzer having a triple trigger circuit including an ALL trigger, an FL3 trigger, an IAS trigger, an OR gate, and an AND gate; (b) providing a reagent capable of lysing red blood cells, the reagent also capable of preserving morphology of white blood cells; (c) providing a sample of the body fluid; (d) mixing the reagent and the sample of the body fluid; (e) lysing red blood cells and membranes of erythroblasts; (f) staining erythroblast nuclei with a nuclear stain; (g) detecting white blood cells within the sample of the body fluid by measuring multi-angle light scatter with the hematology analyzer; (h) detecting erythroblast nuclei within the sample of the body fluid by measuring at least one of multi-angle light scatter and fluorescence with the hematology analyzer; and (i) detecting bacteria within the sample of the body fluid by measuring fluorescence and multi-angle light scatter of a bacteria signal with the hematology analyzer, wherein the bacteria signal is generated by bacteria within the sample of the body fluid, and wherein the bacteria signal is qualified as a valid bacteria signal if an amplitude of the bacteria signal is below the OR gate and ALL trigger, but above the AND gate, FL3 trigger, and IAS trigger.