The history of babesiosis includes fever and chills. Patients with babesiosis have symptoms similar to those of malaria. Symptoms are related to the degree of red blood cell (RBC) parasitemia. The spectrum of disease manifestation is broad, ranging from a silent infection to fulminant malaria-like disease that results in severe hemolysis and, occasionally, death.
In the United States, infection with B microti in otherwise healthy individuals generally remains subclinical; however, symptomatic infection is common in asplenic patients, older patients, and patients with underlying medical conditions, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Because bovine babesiosis due to B divergens and B bovis in Europe mostly occurs in patients who are asplenic, such infections are generally clinically overt and frequently fatal. Patients typically report a history of travel to an…
