$Unique_ID{BRK03509} $Pretitle{} $Title{Babesiosis} $Subject{Babesiosis Piriplasmosis Redwater Fever Lyme Disease Malaria} $Volume{} $Log{} Copyright (C) 1986, 1989, 1990 National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. 120: Babesiosis ** IMPORTANT ** It is possible that the main title of the article (Babesiosis) is not the name you expected. Please check the SYNONYM listing to find the alternate names and disorder subdivisions covered by this article. Synonyms Piriplasmosis Redwater Fever Information on the following diseases can be found in the Related Disorders section of this report: Lyme Disease Malaria General Discussion ** REMINDER ** The information contained in the Rare Disease Database is provided for educational purposes only. It should not be used for diagnostic or treatment purposes. If you wish to obtain more information about this disorder, please contact your personal physician and/or the agencies listed in the "Resources" section of this report. Babesiosis is an infection carried and transmitted by deer ticks (Ixodes dammini). The ticks live on deer and white footed mice, but can cause disease in humans if they attach to people walking through grassy areas. The tick transmits a parasite into the blood of a human which can cause hemolytic anemia (premature destruction of red blood cells). In people who have an impaired immune system, Babesiosis can be fatal if left untreated. In healthy adults or older children the infection usually causes no apparent symptoms. Most symptomatic cases in the United States have been contracted near the coasts of New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut by elderly people or very young children. Symptoms Initial symptoms of Babesiosis resemble a malaria-like illness including abdominal pain, headache, severe chills and fever, lack of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea. The parasitic organisms are found in red blood cells, which they can destroy, causing hemolytic anemia. In healthy people with a normal immune system who are under the age of 50, the disease may cause no symptoms. Patients who have had their spleens removed may develop high fever, jaundice associated with the hemolytic anemias, excretion of hemoglobin (the oxygen carrier in red blood cells) in the urine, and kidney failure. Other people who may be at risk of developing these severe symptoms include the elderly, very young children, and people with an impaired immune system. Babesiosis can be life-threatening in people with severe symptoms unless the disorder is treated. Those who experience no symptoms usually require no treatment. Causes Babesiosis is caused by protozoans of the genus Babesia, including Babesia bovis, B. divergens, and B. nicroti. These parasites are found in the red blood cells of various animals, and are transmitted by tick bites. The life cycle of these ticks follows the same course as ticks carrying Lyme disease. The ticks live on deer, are transferred to white footed mice, and can affect humans who walk in grassy areas where deer usually reside. Babesiosis can also be transmitted through blood transfusions from infected donors. Affected Population Approximately 200 cases of Babesiosis were diagnosed during the 1980's in the United States. Most cases of Babesiosis in the United States have been acquired near the coast of New York, Connecticut or Massachusetts. The disease can be life-threatening in patients who have an impaired immune system. Very young children and elderly people are most likely to experience symptoms, while healthy adolescents and adults rarely show signs of infection. Related Disorders Symptoms of the following disorders can be similar to those of Babesiosis. Comparisons may be useful for a differential diagnosis: Lyme Disease is a tick-transmitted inflammatory disorder characterized by an early focal lesion, and subsequently a growing red area on the skin (erythema chronicum migrans or ECM). The disorder may be followed weeks later by joint pain resembling arthritis and neurological or heart abnormalities. (For more information on this disorder, choose "Lyme" as your search term in the Rare Disease Database.) Malaria is a communicable parasitic disorder spread through the bite of an Anopheles mosquito. Major symptoms vary depending on which species of parasite causes the infection and the stage of development of the parasite. Chills and fever commonly occur although not every case follows the same pattern. Each recurrence becomes milder. Although the disorder was once thought to be under control throughout the world, Malaria is a widespread infection especially in the tropics where certain types of mosquitos are becoming resistant to pesticides. The annual number of cases reported in the United States has increased in recent years. (For more information on this disorder, choose "Malaria" as your search term in the Rare Disease Database.) Therapies: Standard In most healthy people Babesiosis usually resolves spontaneously and causes few or no symptoms. People with an impaired immune system will require treatment with drugs such as clindamycin, quinine and/or other anti parasitic or antibiotic drugs. Therapies: Investigational This disease entry is based upon medical information available through January 1990. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate. Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most current information about this disorder. Resources For more information on Babesiosis, please contact: National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) P.O. Box 8923 New Fairfield, CT 06812-1783 (203) 746-6518 NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases 9000 Rockville Pike Bethesda, MD 20892 (301) 496-5717 Centers for Disease Control (CDC) 1600 Clifton Road, NE Atlanta, GA 30333 (404) 329-3534 References REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON INFECTIOUS DISEASES, 21st Ed.: G. Peter, et al., eds.; American Academy of Pediatrics, 1988. Pp. 131.