| Disease/Syndrome |
Babesiosis |
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| Category |
Infection, Occupational |
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| Acute/Chronic |
Acute-Moderate |
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| Synonyms |
Babesia microti infection; B. divergens infection (Europe); Piroplasmosis |
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| Biomedical References |
Search PubMed |
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| Comments |
FINDINGS: In untreated patients, the febrile illness lasts several days to a few months. Some patients have hemolytic anemia and jaundice. [CCDM, p. 61-3] Arthralgias, headache, nausea, hepatosplenomegaly, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia are common findings. Less than 20% of patients have cough and dyspnea. Relative bradycardia has been reported. Severe cases are associated with prior splenectomy. Complications include acute renal failure, pulmonary edema, disseminated intravascular coagulation, shock, and respiratory failure. [ID, p. 2304] Babesiosis mimics malaria. The illness begins 1-4 weeks after a tick bite or 4-9 weeks after transfusion. Additional findings are diarrhea, sweating, and elevated liver transaminases. Antibodies become detectable about 1 week after onset of symptoms. [Guerrant, p. 1063-9] Most patients do not recall a recent tick bite. Patients with severe infections commonly have headache and pharyngitis, but generalized lymphadenopathy is not a feature of this disease. [Lexi-ID, p. 40] The ticks are only 2 mm in diameter and not usually seen. Other findings are abdominal pain, conjunctival injection, proteinuria, and abnormal kidney function tests. [PPID, p. 3209-15] EPIDEMIOLOGY: Babesiosis is endemic on several USA east coast islands and in southern Connecticut. The vectors are nymphal Ixodes ticks, and the agents are protozoan parasites of red blood cells. Asymptomatic infections are common. Person-to-person transmission has not been reported except by blood transfusion. On blood smear examination, the parasite may be confused with plasmodium falciparum. Reservoirs are rodents in the USA and cattle in Europe. [CCDM, p. 61-3] In Europe, babesiosis is a rare disease caused by B. divergens. Most patients are asplenic and have fulminant, hemolytic disease. In the US, babesiosis is caused by B. microti, and most cases are subclinical. Patients at risk for severe disease are asplenic, elderly, co-infected with Borrelia burgdorferi, or immunocompromised. [PPID, p. 3212] |
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| Latency/Incubation |
1 week to 2 months |
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| Diagnostic |
Blood smear; Serology; [CCDM] A tetrad configuration of merozoites in RBCs is pathognomonic. A PCR test is now commercially available. [Lexi-ID, p. 40] |
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| ICD-9 Code |
088.8 |
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| Effective Antimicrobics |
Yes |
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| Scope |
Global; In USA: eastern seaboard, Wisconsin, Minnesota, California, Washington state; |
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| Reference Link |
CDC - Babesiosis |
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| Related Information in Haz-Map |
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| Symptoms/Findings |
Symptoms/Findings associated with this disease:
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| Job Tasks |
High risk job tasks associated with this disease:
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