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Case Reports
. 2024 Oct;30(10):2165-2168.
doi: 10.3201/eid3010.240866.

Autochthonous Human Babesia divergens Infection, England

Guillermo A Zabala, Robert Lever, Xin Hui Chan, Henrietta Bristowe, Emer Kilbride, David Richards, Mark Daly, Michael Brown, Nick Johnson, Laura Eve Nabarro, Hanif Esmail, Gauri Godbole, Peter L Chiodini
Case Reports

Autochthonous Human Babesia divergens Infection, England

Guillermo A Zabala et al. Emerg Infect Dis. 2024 Oct.

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.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Giemsa-stained thin blood film from a case of autochthonous human Babesia divergens infection, England. A) Stains show characteristic Maltese cross form (arrow) and erythrocytes containing 5 pyriform rings. Original magnification ×1,000. B) Absence of pigment in erythrocytes (arrow). Original magnification ×1,000.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Axial computed tomography image from a case of autochthonous human Babesia divergens infection, England. Image shows bilateral pleural effusions.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Urometer from a case of autochthonous human Babesia divergens infection, England. Black urine can be noted in the collection bag.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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