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naomi
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Joined: 21 Oct 2000
Posts: 232
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 Posted: 02/22/06 - 01:00 Post subject: babesosis infection |
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I have heard that babesiosis is limited to those who live in, or have recently traveled to, the northeastern United States. Since I have been there for a holydays, I started to wonder. I have heard it could be even life threatening infection. Can you tell me if that is true and what should I do. I want to know more about babesiosis infection.
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lettie
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Joined: 24 Jan 2000
Posts: 276
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| Posted: 02/24/06 - 21:58 Post subject: |
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It is true that babesiosis infection could be life threatening, but the most commonly this occurs in patients who are already suffering of some disease. It could happen with elderly, immunocompromised, HIV infected, or patients that have undergone splenectomy. However, most patients with babesiosis are asymptomatic, which may result in underreporting of the disease across all age groups. Babesiosis is an intraerythrocytic parasitic infection caused by protozoa of the genus Babesia. As I already said, important is to know that babesiosis is usually an asymptomatic infection in healthy individuals. The parasite only infects red blood cells, and this significantly affects the hematological system. That is why babesiosis is causing hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and atypical lymphocyte formation. Alterations in erythrocytes membranes cause decreased conformability and increased red cell adherence. Problem is that this might lead to development of acute respiratory distress syndrome among those severely affected. Babesiosis affects all age groups with similar frequency, but patients older than 50 years are at increased risk for severe infection and death.
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