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$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.