Autochthonous Human Babesia divergens Infection, England

Emerg Infect Dis. 2024 Oct;30(10):2165-2168. doi: 10.3201/eid3010.240866.

Abstract

We describe a case of autochthonous human Babesia divergens infection in an immunocompetent woman in England. The patient had fever, hemolysis, multiorgan failure, and 18% parasitemia. We confirmed B. divergens by 18S rDNA PCR and sequencing. Clinicians should consider babesiosis as a differential diagnosis in patients with unexplained hemolysis.

Keywords: Babesia; Babesiosis; England; United Kingdom; communicable diseases; emerging communicable diseases; hemolysis; parasites; parasitology; public health; ticks; vector-borne infections.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Babesia* / classification
  • Babesia* / genetics
  • Babesia* / isolation & purification
  • Babesiosis* / diagnosis
  • Babesiosis* / parasitology
  • England
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Phylogeny
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / genetics

Substances

  • RNA, Ribosomal, 18S