Synopsis on Human Babesiosis and Health Implication: A Commentary

This review on Babesiosis by Miguel PSB et al. [1] is quite unique by describing the illness caused by Babesia spp., as well as emphasizing the travelers' health aspects of the diseases. Human Babesiosis is a tick transmitted zoonosis normally associated with two protozoa of the family Piroplasmorida: Babesia microti (in the United States) and B. divergens (in Europe)[2]. In this review, the authors mentioned a newer organism known as Babesia venatorum that was reported as a cause of the disease in China and previously reported in Europe as well as cases of infection by Babesia duncani which were reported in California and Washington State. Over 100 species was mentioned in this study to infect several wild and domesticated non-human models with few confirmed as causative agents in humans, with variations depending on the region. Ixodes dammini is the deer tick that transmits the spirochetes that cause Lyme disease known as Borrelia burgdorferi in the northeastern United States and belongs to a morphologically similar group of “black-legged ticks” that includes I. ricinus known as the wood tick of Europe as well as I. persulcatus known as the taiga tick of Asia. This tick also transmits human Babesiosis in the United States and tick-borne encephalitis in Europe and Asia [3]. Worthy of note as mentioned in this review is that this diseases is of concern to health authorities in regards to travelers' from non endemic areas to endemic areas as well as the risk of exposure to this infection. The organism has similarity to the protozoa of the genus Plasmodium falciparum including its life cycle with few differences mentioned in the review. In addition to the United States and countries in Europe, the review also mentioned report of sporadic cases in Asia countries including Australia, South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan, as well as countries in the African continent. Asplenic and immune compromised patients are at increased risk for infections with B. microti organism [4]. Both humoral and cellular responses are involved in immunity to babesiosis [5].