Successful Chemotherapy of Transfusion Babesiosis

Wittner, Murray; Rowin, Kenneth S.; Tanowitz, Herbert B.; Hobbs, Jean F.; Saltzman, Simone; Wenz, Barry; Hirsch, Robert; Chisholm, Emily S.; Healy, George R.

doi:10.7326/0003-4819-96-5-601

Cited by 138 publications

(63 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…For symptomatic patients with demonstrable parasitemia, treatment may be required to eliminate the parasite, particularly in cases of severe or persistent infection. Historically, the regimen of choice has been a 7-to 10-day course of clindamycin and quinine (126). While highly effective, the tandem use of clindamycin and quinine can produce debilitating side effects, particularly tinnitus, vertigo, and gastroenteritis, that often interfere with the successful completion of drug therapy.…”

Section: Treatmentmentioning

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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Section: Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

2011

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“…The combination of quinine sulfate and clindamycin hydrochloride for treatment of a newborn with transfusionassociated babesiosis was described in 1982 and subsequently became the fi rst accepted treatment (7). A combination of azithromycin with atovaquone for 7 to 10 days has emerged as an alternative regimen (8,10-11), having been used successfully in 2 neonates (8,10) and several adults (11) in whom it appears to be safe and effective.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Probable Congenital Babesiosis in Infant, New Jersey, USA

Sethi

Alcid²,

Kesarwala³

et al. 2009

Emerg. Infect. Dis.

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“…Indeed, babesiosis is sometimes initially misdiagnosed as malaria until a definitive identification of the pathogen is made on a thin blood smear or by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) [21,22]. Most cases of babesiosis and malaria consist of a mild to moderate illness characterized by fever, sweats, chills, headache, myalgia, back and abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and pallor [6,23].…”

Section: Moderate Diseasementioning

confidence: 99%