Babesia divergens explained

Babesia divergens is an intraerythrocytic parasite, transmitted by the tick Ixodes ricinus. It is the most common cause of human babesiosis.^[1] It is the main agent of bovine babesiosis, or "redwater fever", in Europe. Young cattle are less susceptible. The current emphasis in Europe on sustainable agriculture and extensification is likely to lead to an increase in vector tick populations with increased risk of infection.^[2] B. divergens is also prevalent (infection rates of 11-23%) in cottontail rabbits on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, USA.^[3]

Human infections are rare.^[4] The most severe, life-threatening infections were described in asplenic patients. Infections in immunocompetent patients were also observed, and described as a "serious influenza-like" syndrome that requires medical treatment.^[5]

Further reading

• Castro. Emma. Gonzalez. Luis Miguel. Rubio. Jose Miguel. Ramiro. Raquel. Girones. Nuria. Montero. Estrella. The efficacy of the ultraviolet C pathogen inactivation system in the reduction of Babesia divergens in pooled buffy coat platelets. Transfusion. September 2014. 54. 9. 2207–2216. 10.1111/TRF.12598. 24666393. 23879006.
• Lobo. Cheryl-Ann. Babesia divergens and Plasmodium falciparum Use Common Receptors, Glycophorins A and B, To Invade the Human Red Blood Cell. Infection and Immunity. January 2005. 73. 1. 649–651. 10.1128/IAI.73.1.649-651.2005. 15618210. 538995.
• Rar. V.A.. Epikhina. T.I.. Suntsova. O.V.. Kozlova. I.V.. Lisak. O.V.. Pukhovskaya. N.M.. Vysochina. N.P.. Ivanov. L.I.. Tikunova. N.V.. Genetic variability of Babesia parasites in Haemaphysalis spp. and Ixodes persulcatus ticks in the Baikal region and Far East of Russia. Infection, Genetics and Evolution. December 2014. 28. 270–275. 10.1016/j.meegid.2014.10.010. 25460820.
• Rodriguez. Marilis. Alhassan. Andy. Ord. Rosalynn. Cursino-Santos. Jeny. Singh. Manpreet. Gray. Jeremy. Lobo. Cheryl. Identification and Characterization of the RouenBd1987 Babesia divergens Rhopty-Associated Protein 1. PLOS ONE. September 2014. 9. 9 . e107727. 10.1371/journal.pone.0107727. 25226276. 4166668. 2014PLoSO...9j7727R. free.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Dictionnaire médical de l'Académie de Médecine . 2024-02-15 . www.academie-medecine.fr.
2. Zintl, A . Mulcahy, G . Skerrett, HE . Taylor, SM . Gray, JS . Babesia divergens, a Bovine Blood Parasite of Veterinary and Zoonotic Importance . Clinical Microbiology Reviews . 2003 . 16 . 4 . 622–36 . 14557289 . 207107 . 10.1128/CMR.16.4.622-636.2003 .
3. . Enzootic transmission of Babesia divergens among cottontail rabbits on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts . . 69 . 5 . 455–460 . 2003 . 10.4269/ajtmh.2003.69.455 . 14695079. 2418317 . free .
4. Uguen, C . Girard, L . Brasseur, P . Leblay, R . La babésiose humaine en 1997 . Human Babesiosis in 1997 . French . La Revue de Médecine Interne . 1997 . 18 . 12 . 945–51 . 9499998 . 10.1016/S0248-8663(97)80114-2 .
5. Martinot, M . Zadeh, MM . Hansmann, Y . Grawey, I . Christmann, D . Aguillon, S . Jouglin, M . Chauvin, A . de Briel, D . Babesiosis in Immunocompetent Patients, Europe . Emerging Infectious Diseases . 2011 . 17 . 1 . 114–6 . 21192869 . 10.3201/eid1701.100737 . 3204631 .