Human Babesiosis

Rami Waked; Peter J Krause

doi:10.1016/j.idc.2022.02.009

Human Babesiosis

Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2022 Sep;36(3):655-670. doi: 10.1016/j.idc.2022.02.009.

Authors

Rami Waked¹, Peter J Krause²

Affiliations

¹ Division of Infectious Diseases, Maine Medical Center, 22 Bramhall Street, Portland, ME 04102, USA. Electronic address: rami.waked@mainehealth.org.
² Division of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health and Yale School of Medicine, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.

PMID: 36116841
DOI: 10.1016/j.idc.2022.02.009

Abstract

Babesiosis is caused by intraerythrocytic parasites that are transmitted primarily by ticks, infrequently through blood transfusion, and rarely through transplacental transmission or organ transplantation. Human babesiosis is found throughout the world, but the incidence is highest in the Northeast and upper Midwestern United States. Babesiosis has clinical features that resemble malaria and can be fatal in immunocompromised and older patients. Diagnosis is confirmed by identification of Babesia parasites on blood smear or Babesia DNA with polymerase chain reaction. Standard treatment consists of atovaquone and azithromycin or clindamycin and quinine for 7 to 10 days.

Keywords: Apicomplexa; Babesia microti; Babesiosis; Erythrocyte; Protozoan; Tick; Transfusion.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Atovaquone / therapeutic use
Azithromycin / therapeutic use
Babesiosis* / diagnosis
Babesiosis* / drug therapy
Babesiosis* / epidemiology
Clindamycin / therapeutic use
Humans
Quinine / therapeutic use

Substances

Clindamycin
Azithromycin
Quinine
Atovaquone