Babesia microti

1
Babesia microti

• Presented By
• Hannah Wilder Nicole Johnson

2
Background

• Babesia microti is a parasite of rodents
  (especially the white-footed mouse). Different
  species of Babesia cause babesiosis in humans,
  including Babesia microti Babesia divergens,
  primarily.
• Babesia microti lives and reproduces within RBCs.

3
Parasite inside of Erythrocytes. Trophozoite
looks like a diamond ring (top)
4
Geographic Range

• Worldwide, Especially in
• Europe (although, mostly Babesia divergens)
• Asia
• United States
• Particularly in the Northeast Especially New
  England, New York other coastal regions
• Has been spotted in other parts of the U.S., such
  as the mid-west

5
Definitive Host

• A tick is the definitive host.
• Transmission occurs from an animal to a human,
  normally using the northern deer tick or
  black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis) as the
  vector.
• Also may be spread through blood transfusions

6
Female Ixodes Scapularis tick
7
Life Cycle

• Involves two hosts, a human and a rodent

8
(No Transcript)
9
Prevention

• Skin checks for ticks after being in wooded areas
• Check animals for ticks
• Wear long clothing
• Find a good tick repellant

10
Pathogenesis/Clinical Symptoms

• Chills
• Headache
• Fatigue
• High Fever
• Loss of Appetite

• Muscle Aches
• Nausea
• Renal Failure
• Worse in immuno-compromised individuals
• Similar to Malaria!

11
Diagnosis/Treatment

• Blood smear and viewing Babesia microti in the
  RBCs
• Combination of Quinine and Clindamycin
• Blood transfusions to reduce the number of
  infected RBCs
• Patients who are healthy normally make a full
  recovery