Babesiosis

Babesiosis (say: bab-e-see-oh-sis) is a rare infection of the blood caused by a parasite that lives in some ticks. Deer ticks typically carry the parasite that causes this illness.

Babesiosis infections are more common in animals than in humans, but cases have been reported in parts of the United States. Babesiosis has been reported most often in the upper midwest and the northeastern areas of the country, especially along the coasts.

Some people who have babesiosis may not have any symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they are often similar to symptoms of the flu and include:

However, sometimes the illness can quickly become serious, and can even cause death, especially in people who have had their spleen removed, are elderly, have liver disease, have kidney disease or have weak immune systems (due to conditions such as the human immunodeficiency virus [HIV], acquired immunodeficiency syndrome [AIDS] and cancer). Babesiosis can affect people of all ages, but most people who get it are in their 40s or 50s.

Your doctor will need to do blood tests to see if you have this illness. Your doctor might also do blood tests to look for other infections that ticks can carry.

In people who have healthy immune systems and only mild cases of babesiosis, no treatment is typically needed. The body fights the infection on its own.

People who have a more severe case of babesiosis are usually treated with 2 types of antibiotics. If you develop shortness of breath or any other symptoms after you start taking the antibiotics, tell your doctor right away.

Some people who have very severe cases of babesiosis or weak immune systems need to go to a hospital to be treated.

During the months of May through September, stay away from places where ticks are common. This is especially important if you've had your spleen removed, if you have had an organ transplant or are taking immunosuppressant medicines (which weaken or suppress the immune system), if you have HIV infection, AIDS or other chronic conditions that affect your immune system.

You may want to use insect repellent when you are outdoors, especially in wooded or grassy areas. Use a tick repellent that contains DEET. Products with 20% to 30% DEET will provide good protection under most conditions.

Early removal of ticks is important. If you spend a lot of time outdoors in areas where ticks live, you should check yourself for ticks every day. Check your pets also, because they may carry ticks into your home. Whenever you find a tick on yourself or on someone else, save it so that you can show it to the doctor if symptoms of babesiosis or other tick-borne diseases develop.

To remove an attached tick, use fine tweezers to grab the tick firmly by the head (or as close to the head as possible) and pull. Do not use heat (such as a lit match), petroleum jelly or other methods to try to make the tick "back out" on its own. These are not effective ways to remove a tick.