Babesia
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Babesia
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Preguntas
Preguntas del estilo USMLE Step 1
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A 56-year-old man presents to the hospital with two weeks of fever, fatigue, headache, and myalgia. The patient spent the last three months hiking in Africa, North America, and South America. Bloodwork reveals elevated hepatic transaminases as well as severe anemia. A thick and thin smear of peripheral blood is prepared with Giemsa stain. Examination of the smears under light microscopy shows cross-shaped inclusions within several erythrocytes. Which of the following organisms is most likely responsible for this patient’s findings?
External References
First Aid
2024
2023
2022
2021
Babesia spp. p. 144, 154
anemia p. 415
Resumen
Babesia is a parasitic protozoan that's known to cause babesiosis in humans. Babesia is spread by the bite of an infected Ixodes tick, the same tick that also transmits Borrelia burgdorferi. Babesiosis causes a form of parasitic, hemolytic disease. Symptoms include fever, fatigue, body aches, nausea, and vomiting. In severe cases, babesiosis can lead to serious health complications such as acute respiratory distress syndrome, heart failure, splenic rupture, and death.