Babesia is a microscopic parasite. It has two hosts, and its life cycle begins when a Babesia-infected tick bites the first host — generally a mouse. The parasite, in sporozite form, undergoes asexual reproduction in the mouse’s blood. It is eventually transmitted to another tick during a blood meal. Babesia is transmitted to humans through tick bites. In rare instances, the Babesia parasite is transmitted through a transfusion of blood from a donor with a case of silent Babesiosis or by congenital transmission during pregnancy. Once inside a human host, the parasite invades and can destroy the host’s red blood cells, sometimes faster than the body can replace them.
November 11, 2009
October 21, 2009
Better Blood Screening Process Needed To Prevent Babesiosis Transmission
Babesiosis is a potentially dangerous parasitic disease transmitted by ticks and is common in the Northeast and the upper Midwest. It can also be transmitted through a blood transfusion from an infected but otherwise asymptomatic blood donor. A new study finds a dramatic increase in the number of transfusion-transmitted babesiosis cases, leading to a call for a better screening test in blood donors living in areas of the country where babesiosis is prevalent.