Babesia is a parasitic infection that affects your red blood cells. Babesiosis is caused by Babesia infection. A tick bite is often used to spread the parasite illness.
Babesiosis is frequently associated with Lyme disease. The tick that transmits Lyme disease can also carry the Babesia parasite.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF BABESIOSIS?
Babesiosis symptoms can range in severity. You may have no symptoms at all or only mild flu-like symptoms. Some instances can lead to catastrophic, even fatal consequences.
A Babesia infection is typically characterized by a high temperature, chills, muscle or joint pains, and exhaustion. Among the less frequent symptoms are:
- Excruciating headache
- Stomach ache
- Nausea
- Bruises on the skin
- Skin and eye discoloration
- Alterations in mood
You may experience chest or hip discomfort, shortness of breath, and drenching sweats as the illness advances.
It is possible to be infected with Babesia without experiencing any symptoms. A recurrent high fever might be an indication of undetected babesiosis.
WHAT ARE THE COMPLICATIONS OF BABESIOSIS?
Possible complications include:
- Extremely low blood pressure
- Difficulties with the liver
- Hemolytic anemia is the destruction of red blood cells.
- Kidney failure
- Heart failure
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF BABESIOSIS?
Babesiosis is caused by an infection with the malaria-like parasite Babesia. Nuttalia is another name for the Babesia parasite.
The parasite thrives and reproduces inside the infected person's or animal's red blood cells, producing extreme agony due to red blood cell rupture.
Babesia parasites are found in over 100 different species. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Babesia microti is the most frequent strain infecting individuals in the United States (CDC). Other strains are capable of infecting:
- Cattle
- Horses
- Sheep
- Pigs
- Goats
- Dogs
HOW IS BABESIOSIS TRANSMITTED?
The most frequent way to get Babesia is from a tick bite.
Babesia microti parasites dwell in the black-legged or deer tick's intestines (Ixodes scapularis). The tick adheres to white-footed mice and other small animals, allowing the parasite to enter the rodents' bloodstream.
After the tick has finished its blood meal, it slips off and waits to be picked up by another animal.
The deer tick is commonly carried by white-tailed deer. The deer is not diseased.
The tick will often settle on a blade of grass, a low limb, or leaf litter after dropping off the deer. It can adhere to your shoe, sock, or other article of clothing if you brush up against it. The tick then ascends, looking for a piece of open skin.
You won't feel the tick bite, and you might not even notice it. This is because most human diseases are transferred by ticks in their nymph stage throughout the spring and summer. The ticks are roughly the size and color of a poppy seed at this stage.
Aside from tick bites, this virus can spread through contaminated blood transfusions or from an infected pregnant mother to her fetus. It can also be spread through an organ transplant in rare cases.
WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS FOR BABESIOSIS?
People who lack a spleen or have a compromised immune system are more vulnerable. Babesiosis is a potentially fatal disease for these folks. Older folks, particularly those with significant health issues, are also at greater risk.
WHAT IS THE CONNECTION BETWEEN BABESIOSIS AND LYME DISEASE?
The same tick that transmits the Babesia parasite can also transmit the corkscrew-shaped bacterium that causes Lyme disease.
According to a 2016 study, up to one-fifth of persons with Lyme disease were also infected with Babesia. Researchers also discovered that babesiosis was frequently misdiagnosed.
The CDC reports that the majority of babesiosis cases occur in New England, New York, New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. These are states where Lyme disease is common, while it is also found elsewhere.
Babesiosis symptoms are similar to those of Lyme disease. Lyme and Babesia co-infection can exacerbate both diseases' symptoms.
HOW IS BABESIOSIS DIAGNOSED?
Babesiosis is a tough disease to diagnose.
Babesia parasites can be found in the early stages by examining a blood sample under a microscope. Blood smear microscopy demands a large amount of time and expertise to diagnose. Smears can be negative if the parasitemia in the blood is extremely low, especially early in the illness, and they may need to be repeated over many days.
If you or your doctor suspect babesiosis, your doctor can do further tests. They may request that a blood sample be subjected to an indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFA). On the blood sample, molecular diagnostics such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) may be employed.
WHAT ARE THE TREATMENTS FOR BABESIOSIS?
Babesia is a parasite that cannot be treated with antibiotics alone. Antiparasitic medications, such as those used to treat malaria, are required for treatment. Most mild to severe cases are treated with atovaquone with azithromycin for 7 to 10 days. Clindamycin with quinine is an alternate regimen.
Severe disease is often treated with intravenous azithromycin with oral atovaquone or intravenous clindamycin plus oral quinine. Additional supportive treatments, such as blood transfusions, may be used in cases of severe sickness.
Relapses are possible following therapy. If you have symptoms again, they must be addressed. Some patients, such as those with compromised immune systems, may require prolonged treatment to eliminate the illness.
HOW TO LOWER THE RISK OF BABESIOSIS?
Avoiding tick contact is the most effective way to avoid both babesiosis and Lyme disease. If you venture into forested or meadow regions where deer are present, take the following precautions:
- Wear permethrin-treated clothes.
- Spray DEET repellent on your shoes, socks, and exposed areas.
- Wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers. To keep ticks at bay, tuck your pant legs into your socks.
- After spending time outside, examine your entire physique. Examine your back and the backs of your legs, especially behind your knees, with a buddy.
- Take a shower and scrub the parts you can't see with a long-handled brush.
Before a tick to spread the illness, it must connect to your skin. After the tick comes into contact with your skin or clothes, it normally takes several hours for the tick to attach. Even if the tick attaches, it will take some time to deliver the parasite to you. You might have as much as 36 to 48 hours. This provides you time to seek for and remove the tick.
Still, it's better to be vigilant and check for ticks as soon as you get inside.
CONCLUSION
Babesiosis recovery time varies by individual. Babesiosis does not have a vaccine. For non-severe cases, the CDC advises a 7- to 10-day course of atovaquone with azithromycin.
Some organizations that deal with Lyme disease therapy also deal with babesiosis. For information on specialists that specialize in babesiosis, contact the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS).