Babesia (Babesia infection)

Babesia (Babesia infection)'s disease overview

Babesia disease is a rare infection caused by a very small parasite named Babesia. The disease is transmitted to humans through the bite of some ticks. In Babesia's disease, parasites will penetrate and parasitically in the patient's red blood cells. Therefore, people with the disease will have manifestations of fever, hemolysis and hemorrhage. 

Babesia is the single -cell parasites transmitted through the bugs of wildlife and cattle, allocating the whole world.  This disease is mainly caused by the infection of Babesia Microti parasites, usually due to an Ixodes bug (deer cicadas). The natural host of B. Microti is a series of wild animals and cattle, especially white legs and white tail. Along with the expansion of deer habitats, the rate of infection in humans also tends to increase.

Humans infected with Babesia are mainly caused by the burning of IXODE DAMINI. However, the infection of Babesia due to blood transfusion containing pathogens has also been notified.

Causes of Babesia (Babesia infection)'s disease

This disease is mainly caused by Babesia Microti infection, infection caused by Babesia Divergès is more rarer. B. Microti is the most important species in the Americas, whereas B. Divergens is the advantage line found in Europe. 

The disease is often transmitted to the injection of a tiny tick that has been infected (in Massachusetts, a tick on deer deer). The highest risk of disease occurs in the end of May to September, when the ticks are most active. Bugs must stick to the body and suck blood for a period of 36 to 48 hours before being able to transmit pathogens to humans.

Although anyone can get babesiosis, people who are often outdoors are at higher risk. Babesiosis is often available in coastal areas, such as Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard and Cape Cod. This disease can also be spread through infected blood transfusion, or from pregnant women to children, but these cases are rarely occurring.

With just one injection, one can at the same time Babesia and other diseases caused by cicadas are the disease -infectious agent (such as Lyme disease). 

Symptoms of Babesia (Babesia infection)'s disease

Most people get sick because this type of parasitic has only mild symptoms or no signs, so it is easy to be overlooked. 

For those who have clear diseases, the symptoms of the disease may be from mild to severe and may last for several days or weeks. The incubation period lasts 1-4 weeks, and the patient often does not remember whether it was burned or not. Symptoms include:

  • Magic fever,
  • chills or chills,
  • Headache,
  • Sweating,
  • Nausea, vomiting,
  • Abdominal pain,
  • tired,
  • muscle aches and joints,
  • Dark urine and hemolytic anemia (parasites B. Microti penetrates red blood cells and multiplies, leading to red blood cells and arouses the process of infection of pinks Other bridges). 
  • Severe cases can see signs of jaundice and liver, spleen.

    • This disease may be particularly serious for the elderly, weak spleen, people with weak immune system, or people with other health problems. 

    Although the parasitic circulation in the blood can last for months, with or asymptomatic, the disease usually recovers, and after a few weeks or months, the majority of the patient does not leave sequelae. Those who have surgery to cut spleen, the elderly or immunodeficiency are those who are likely to be seriously ill.

    A few cases of B. Divergens infection have been informed, all occurring in patients who have had spleen surgery. Cases of this disease are fast with high fever, severe hemolytic anemia, Hoang Dam, hemoglobin urine and kidney failure; The consequences are often leading to death.

    Prevention of Babesia (Babesia infection)'s disease

    To prevent Babesia and other diseases that are transmitted through ticks, the best way to protect is to avoid contact with this bug. When working or playing outdoors in areas that can have ticks (especially areas with high grass, weeds, dense forests, many leaves) you should:

  • Wear brightly colored clothes (to easily detect fleas), long pants and long sleeves. 
  • Create a "barrier of fleas" by stuffing the pants into the socks and stuffed the shirt into the pants. 
  • Should use insect drugs when you go out. If using these products, follow the manufacturer's instructions on the label. After returning to the house, wash the medicine with soap and warm water. 
  • Check carefully clothes and leather (especially in the thighs, groin, arms, underarms, legs and scalp) after going into the area with fleas. If there is a flea, use a sharp tweezer to remove them immediately. When removing fleas, use tweezers to clamp the flea as close to the skin as possible and pull straight. After removing fleas, use alcohol to disinfect the skin. Do not squeeze or crush ticks when it still sticks to the skin.
  • Talk to the veterinarian about the best way to prevent fleas for your pets.

    • Babesia infection can be controlled if you note the following:

  • Go to the doctor as soon as possible and do not arbitrarily take fever at home;
  • Follow the doctor's instructions and immediately notify the doctor if there is an extra new symptom.

    • Diagnostic measures for Babesia (Babesia infection)'s disease

    Diagnosis is based on finding parasites in erythrocytes when screening on optical microscopes. A red blood cells can carry different stages of parasites, and the percentage of red blood cells may be more than 10%. May need this test many times; Parasites circulating in the blood can be clearly seen after 2-4 weeks. 

    Due to the disease that has many similarities with malaria, Babesia needs to be distinguished from malaria parasites, especially Plasmodium falciparum. 

  • Clinically, the disease has erratic manifestations, chills, headaches, sweating, muscle aches and fatigue but symptoms are not cyclic as malaria . 
  • Testing: can be isolated through the patient's blood culture for the Gerbil mouse (another rodent), then use the indirect fluorescent immune method To compare antibody price brands for distinguishing diagnosis. Or use PCR test with equivalent specificity but higher sensitivity.

    • Babesia (Babesia infection)'s disease treatments

    Most cases of Babesia infections often go away on their own without specific treatment (mainly symptomatic treatment). Infection B. Microti in patients with healthy spleen often goes away on their own. 

    In some patients, especially those who have surgery to cut the spleen, they need antibiotic treatment (clindamycin, azythromycin) in combination with parasitic killers (quinin, apoanon); 

    In some severe cases, blood transfusion has also been performed to reduce the density of parasites in the patient, also effective in some patients with serious illnesses with a larger infection rate. 10%. In life -threatening cases that can perform an exchange of blood transfusion, then red blood cells will be removed and replaced with fresh red blood cells.

    See also:

  • Infectious shock - Why dangerous? Strong>
  • Blood infection: dangerous, silent symptoms

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