Canine disease is also a threat to people. What are the symptoms of babesiosis? [WE EXPLAIN]

Babesiosis attacks dogs in Poland more and more often. This disease occurs primarily in these quadrupeds, but can also be diagnosed in humans. Babesiosis is spread by ticks. The main symptoms of infection are fever, weakness, joint and muscle pain, and diarrhea.

1. Babesiosis in Poland is much more common among animals than among humans. However, there are cases of human infection every year
2. The areas most exposed to the presence of ticks spreading babesiosis are the eastern regions (Podlaskie and Lubelskie), central (Mazowieckie and Łódzkie) and southern regions (Dolnośląskie, Śląskie and Małopolskie).
3. The best way to minimize the risk of contamination is to avoid woodland and green areas
4. More current information can be found on the Onet homepage

Babesiosis – what is this disease?

Babesiosis, Also called piroplasmosis or northern malaria, it is a disease that is mainly transmitted by ticks. The reservoirs are rodents as well as wild and domestic animals. The vector for the transmission of the disease – between animals or from animals to humans – are ticks of the same species that carry tick-borne encephalitis viruses and Lyme spirochetes. Babesia protozoa (Babesia divergens, Babesia microti, Babesia duncani) are responsible for the formation of babesiosis.

The protozoan enters the human bloodstream along with the saliva of the tick. Human infection can occur – although much less frequently – also during blood transfusion or organ transplantation, as well as during pregnancy and childbirth (through transplacental transmission from mother to fetus). The protozoan attacks red blood cells, multiplies inside them, and then breaks them down – hemolysis.

Babesiosis – symptoms

At first, the disease proceeds without any characteristic symptoms. Its symptoms usually appear one to six weeks after the tick bite.

The symptoms of babesiosis largely depend on the health condition of the infected person and how well their immune system is. In young and healthy people, the infection may be completely asymptomatic or manifest itself with flu-like symptoms.

In people with weakened immunity (children, the elderly, people with chronic diseases, especially autoimmune diseases, cancer patients, people infected with HIV), the following may occur:

1. fever,
2. weakness,
3. excessive sweating,
4. chills,
5. cough,
6. Headache,
7. muscle or joint pain
8. loss of appetite
9. stomach pain,
10. vomiting or diarrhea.

Physical examination may show increased heart rate, lower blood pressure, yellowing of the skin and mucosa, enlargement of the liver and spleen, and reddening of the pharyngeal mucosa. Infection may result in haemolysis, renal failure, pulmonary edema, and neurological disorders. The failure of the immune system can, in extreme cases, lead to the death of the patient.

Babesiosis – diagnosis

Babesiosis is a rare disease, therefore the diagnostic procedure is implemented in people who have recently traveled to the place of the disease and who have had blood transfusions. The basis of the diagnosis is a medical interview with the patient, which provides information about the symptoms of the disease, as well as examinations.

Diagnostics is based on complete blood counts and a general urine test. The basis for the diagnosis of babesiosis is the presence of parasites on a blood smear or a positive PCR test result. It may also be necessary to perform serological tests to detect the presence of IgM and IgG antibodies specific for Babesia microti.

In case of infection with babesiosis, changes in blood counts can be observed. This includes low hemoglobin, low red blood cells, drop in platelets, as well as increase in liver tests and bilirubin.

Babesiosis – treatment

The treatment consists in administering antibiotics and antiprotozoal drugs, which include antimalarial drugs: mefloquine, artemisinin, atovaquone, quinine, azithromycin and clindamycin (most often in the regimens of atovaquone + azithromycin or quinine + clindamycin). The patient should also remember about proper hydration of the body. Treatment usually takes 7-10 days.

If the organs are damaged as a result of complications of babesiosis, hospitalization and supportive treatment are required to support the functioning of the kidneys, liver and respiratory system. The therapy may then take several weeks.

In severe cases, a blood transfusion may be necessary to replace the infected red blood cells.

Babesiosis – How to Avoid Infection?

The best way to minimize the risk of babesiosis, as is the case with Lyme disease, is prevention, i.e. avoiding areas where ticks can occur.

Ticks prefer natural fabrics like cotton. They don’t like synthetic ones. Therefore, fleece or elastic tracksuits work well as better protection. Long sleeves, pants, shoes that cover the foot – they protect well against ticks. Some companies produce clothing impregnated with repellent substances – primarily permethrin.

The color of our clothes does not matter to the tick. They are attracted by the smell. Ticks react to the smell of sweat. They are also attracted to increased body temperature. However, it is worth wearing bright clothes to the forest or for a walk for a simple reason – dark ticks can be seen better on light fabrics.

Repellants, i.e. repellants, can also help protect against ticks. They can be natural (e.g. eucalyptus oil, lavender oil, clove oil) or chemical.

The best way to prevent tick-borne infection is to scrub yourself in the shower with a soft brush after returning home. Rinsing off with water is not enough, because ticks have hooks on the legs, which they catch while walking on our skin.

In addition to the shower, it is also worth remembering to wash the clothes that we were wearing during a trip to endangered areas.

The map of ticks – here are the most of them

Dog lovers, the creators of the website Ciemnastronawiosny.pl, have developed a map of ticks, on which anyone who finds a tick can mark the places where they meet this arachnid.

The map is updated in real time. As the authors of the map explain, “the dangerous places are shown exactly where they were indicated by the person adding them, while the tick points are displayed in anonymised form, ie the actual place where the tick was found is within a radius of approx. 100 m”.

Important note! A place not marked on the map does not mean that it is tick-free.

We encourage you to listen to the latest episode of the RESET podcast. This time we devote it to ecology. How to be eco and not go crazy? How can we care for our planet on a daily basis? What and how to eat? You will hear about this and many other topics related to ecology in the new episode of our podcast.