Human Babesiosis: The Isolation of Babesia microti in Golden Hamsters

Brandt, Floy H.; Healy, George R.; Welch, M. F.

doi:10.2307/3279918

Cited by 38 publications

(24 citation statements)

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“…(ii) The same parasite may have different microscopic appearances in different hosts, probably due to host-specific factors, such as splenic function and immunologic predisposition (e.g., B. divergens has its "characteristic" appearance in bovine erythrocytes, but in humans it exhibits extensive pleomorphism, which complicates its diagnosis). (iii) The classification of Babesia species on the basis of host specificity appears to be less useful than once thought, since certain extensively studied species such as B. microti have been shown to have a broad host specificity (15,55,139,198,215). The newer techniques are arguably more objective than those based on observation of visible characteristics (160).…”

Section: Phylogenetic Classificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Almost any mammal that serves as a host for a Babesia-infected tick is a potential reservoir (226). The host ranges of B. microti and B. divergens vary from small terrestrial mammals (15,55,213) to subhuman primates (139,199) to humans for B. microti and from cattle to various rodent species and to humans for B. divergens (40,119,143). There are several examples of different and often more serious disease manifestations resulting from transmission of a Babesia species (e.g., B. microti) that is common in a wild vertebrate species (e.g., P. leucopus) to a poorly adapted vertebrate host (e.g., humans).…”

Section: Characterization Of the Organism Host Specificity And Ecologymentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Babesiosis

Homer¹,

Aguilar-Delfín²,

Telford³

et al. 2000

Clinical Microbiology Reviews

522

402

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Section: Phylogenetic Classificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Characterization Of the Organism Host Specificity And Ecologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Babesiosis

Homer¹,

Aguilar-Delfín²,

Telford³

et al. 2000

Clinical Microbiology Reviews

522

402

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…Although not practical for rapid diagnosis, inoculation of susceptible laboratory animals (e.g., hamsters and gerbils) has proven diagnostically beneficial as an adjunct test for detecting low-level parasitemia and when expanding isolates for identification to the species level and/or further characterization (11,46,104,127). Animals are injected intraperitoneally with 1 to 2 ml of the patient's blood and then monitored at weekly intervals by blood smear for the presence of infected erythrocytes.…”

Section: Diagnostic Testingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Approaches to diagnostic testing for Babesia infections take three primary forms: direct identification of Babesia-infected erythrocytes on a peripheral blood smear (45), serological demonstration of antibodies to Babesia spp. in patient serum or plasma (18,72), and/or demonstration of active parasitemia by PCR or animal inoculation (11,37,99).…”

Section: Diagnostic Testingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transfusion-TransmittedBabesiaspp.: Bull's-Eye onBabesia microti

2011

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SUMMARY Babesia spp. are intraerythrocytic protozoan parasites of animals and humans that cause babesiosis, a zoonotic disease transmitted primarily by tick vectors. Although a variety of species or types of Babesia have been described in the literature as causing infection in humans, the rodent parasite Babesia microti has emerged as the focal point of human disease, especially in the United States. Not only has B. microti become established as a public health concern, this agent is increasingly being transmitted by blood transfusion: estimates suggest that between 70 and 100 cases of transfusion-transmitted Babesia (TTB) have occurred over the last 30 years. A recent upsurge in TTB cases attributable to B. microti , coupled with at least 12 fatalities in transfusion recipients diagnosed with babesiosis, has elevated TTB to a key policy issue in transfusion medicine. Despite clarity on a need to mitigate transmission risk, few options are currently available to prevent the transmission of B. microti by blood transfusion. Future mitigation efforts may stress serological screening of blood donors in regionalized areas of endemicity, with adjunct nucleic acid testing during the summer months, when acute infections are prevalent. However, several hurdles remain, including the absence of a licensed blood screening assay and a thorough cost-benefit analysis of proposed interventions. Despite current obstacles, continued discussion of TTB without proactive intervention is no longer a viable alternative.

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“…The sensitivity of this animal model was comparable to that of splenectomized hamsters, which have previously been reported to have the greatest susceptibility to B. microti (3). Moreover, the use of hu-RBC-SCID mice enabled us, for the first time, to demonstrate clearly that rodent-derived parasites are readily infective for human RBCs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 58%

Human Babesiosis in Japan: Isolation of Babesia microti -Like Parasites from an Asymptomatic Transfusion Donor and from a Rodent from an Area Where Babesiosis Is Endemic

et al. 2001

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To determine the source of infection for the Japanese index case of human babesiosis, we analyzed blood samples from an asymptomatic individual whose blood had been transfused into the patient. In addition, we surveyed rodents collected from near the donor's residence. Examination by microscopy and PCR failed to detect the parasite in the donor's blood obtained 8 months after the donation of the blood that was transfused. However, we were able to isolate Babesia parasites by inoculating the blood sample into SCID mice whose circulating red blood cells (RBCs) had been replaced with human RBCs. A Babesia parasite capable of propagating in human RBCs was also isolated from a field mouse (Apodemus speciosus) captured near the donor's residential area. Follow-up surveys over a 1-year period revealed that the donor continued to be asymptomatic but had consistently high immunoglobulin G (IgG) titers in serum and low levels of parasitemia which were microscopically undetectable yet which were repeatedly demonstrable by inoculation into animals. The index case patient's sera contained high titers of IgM and, subsequently, rising titers of IgG antibodies, both of which gradually diminished with the disappearance of the parasitemia. Analysis of the parasite's rRNA gene (rDNA) sequence and immunodominant antigens revealed the similarity between donor and patient isolates. The rodent isolate also had an rDNA sequence that was identical to that of the human isolates but that differed slightly from that of the human isolates by Western blot analysis. We conclude that the index case patient acquired infection by transfusion from a donor who became infected in Japan, that parasitemia in an asymptomatic carrier can persist for more than a year, and that A. speciosus serves as a reservoir of an agent of human babesiosis in Japan.

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Human Babesiosis: The Isolation of Babesia microti in Golden Hamsters

Cited by 38 publications

References 0 publications

Babesiosis

Babesiosis

Transfusion-TransmittedBabesiaspp.: Bull's-Eye onBabesia microti

Human Babesiosis in Japan: Isolation of Babesia microti -Like Parasites from an Asymptomatic Transfusion Donor and from a Rodent from an Area Where Babesiosis Is Endemic

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