What is Babesiosis?
When it comes to getting a medical diagnosis, I am the family member who goes along to take notes. After the doctor said a Lyme disease test was negative, he asked my cousin a few more questions about recent travel and mentioned another possibility. It was a disorder whose five syllables I couldn't even spell at the time: babesiosis.
Overview
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), babesiosis is a disease caused by a parasite and spread by the bite of certain types of ticks. The CDC fact sheet also indicates that human beings can contract the disorder via a blood transfusion. Congenital transmission occurs when a baby gets the disease from an infected mother.
The microscopic tick that spreads the disease infects red blood cells. In the U.S., the condition is most prevalent in certain regions of the Northeast and the upper Midwest. It usually peaks during the warm months each year.
The specific areas linked to tick-borne transmission include parts of New England, New York State, New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. In the Northeast, the CDC says babesiosis occurs in both inland and coastal areas, in particular off-shore islands like Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts; Block Island in Rhode Island; and Shelter Island, Fire Island, and eastern Long Island in New York State.
A number of patients with babesiosis are misdiagnosed as suffering from chronic Lyme disease even when tests for the latter come back negative. As noted by a reader responding to a Washington Post article on Lyme disease, some of them are sick for years before finding out which disease they have. The illness is not predominant in either sex, in any race, or in any age group.
Medscape indicates that babesiosis takes its name from Victor Babes, who identified the protozoan responsible for the illness in 1888. The first reported U.S. case occurred in Nantucket in 1969. Both adult ticks and nymphs can spread the disease.
Signs and Symptoms
Like patients with Lyme disease, babesiosis sufferers experience a number of symptoms similar to those linked to malaria. Health-care professionals consider the condition an acute infectious disease. It can be severe and life-threatening, especially among individuals with other illnesses or a weakened immune system, those without a spleen, and the elderly.
The CDC states that many infected patients have no signs of symptoms of the disease. Others, however, develop flu-like symptoms such as fever, sweats, chills, headaches, and body aches. Also common are nausea, loss of appetite, and fatigue.
While symptoms sometimes develop within a week, within several weeks or months is more common. In some cases, the interval is even longer.
Because the parasites infect red blood cells, babesiosis can result in hemolytic anemia from destruction of these cells. Diagnosis requires seeing the Babesia parasites inside the patient's red blood cells under a microscope.
Treatment and Prevention
Most patients who show no symptoms receive no treatment for babesiosis. Health-care professionally typically use one of two treatment regimens for those who are clearly ill, according to the CDC.
The first is atovaquone plus azithromycin. The second combination, clindamycin plus quinine, is the standard for individuals who are severely affected. Some patients might also require supportive care such as transfusions. Individuals with signs of illness that resemble those of babesiosis should promptly consult a health-care provider.
Steps to prevent contracting babesiosis are similar to those to avoid getting Lyme disease. Individuals walking in wooded areas should stay in the center of the trail. Covering arms and legs with clothing even in the warmest months is important. The use of chemical repellents on both skin and clothing is another preventive measure. Finally, a full-body skin check to spot any ticks on either humans or pets is essential after a journey outdoors.
Sources:
http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/babesiosis/resources/babesiosis_fact_sheet.pdf
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/readers-describe-dealing-with-lyme-disease-and-feuding-with-health-care-providers/2010/09/24/gIQA5iR17R_story.html
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/212605-overview
http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/babesiosis/health_professionals/index.html#tx
