What Is Babesiosis? What To Know About The New Tick-Borne Disease

Ticks are the source of babesiosis, a new, possibly fatal disease that can be mistaken for a common summer cold, according to specialists.

The CDC warns that babesiosis instances have “significantly increased” in the Northeastern United States, despite the fact that the illness frequently goes undetected or only manifests as minor symptoms.

Although some individuals may experience more severe symptoms, they all have a fever, chills, body aches, and headaches. Babesiosis can potentially be fatal, according to Dr. Bobbi Pritt of the Mayo Clinic.

The CDC cautions: “In certain patients, severe complications can occur, including thrombocytopenia, renal failure, and acute respiratory distress syndrome.” Patients who are immunocompromised or asplenic (have had their spleen removed) are at risk of more serious results.

what is good news? As long as it is discovered early, babesiosis can be treated with drugs as widely accessible as azithromycin and atovaquone. Additionally, the CDC notes that transmission of babesiosis typically occurs 36 to 48 hours after a tick has been attached, whereas Lyme disease transmission can occur after a tick has been attached for as little as 24 hours.

Babesiosis is becoming increasingly prevalent at the same time that Lyme disease is also increasing. Both diseases are transmitted by the same kind of tick, the black-legged tick, also known as the deer tick.

But even though Lyme disease sometimes exhibits certain babesiosis-like symptoms, such as fever and headache, it usually results in a distinctive “bullseye” rash (Erythema migrans) that makes it easier to identify. The rash will grow a red ring around it that resembles a target or a bullseye as the illness advances.

Up to 80% of tick bites that are infected result in that rash, according to the CDC.

If left untreated, Lyme disease can also have more serious effects on otherwise healthy individuals. “It will spread throughout the body to the joints and the brain’s neurological system. Babesiosis, on the other hand, doesn’t spread in the same way. However, it could be fatal, according to Dr. Pritt of the Mayo Clinic.

This summer, states should exercise caution as more tick activity is anticipated. Tick populations can be reduced by winter temperatures below freezing, but this past winter was mild over much of the United States.

And earlier this year, due to the higher weather, specialists in Connecticut, the state where Lyme disease was first found, declared ticks a year-round threat.

“It’s going to be an above-average year for tick activity and abundance,” Goudarz Molaei, a tick expert for the state of Connecticut, told the Associated Press.

While it’s important to monitor your symptoms and do a “tick check” any time you’ve been outdoors, experts advise the “A, B, C” method to stay safe from ticks:

A: Avoid

Avoid areas where ticks are likely to be found. This means wooded or marshy areas, especially if you’re in the Northeastern or Upper Midwest states. (The CDC maintains a tick bite tracker that you can check before heading outdoors this summer.)

B: Bug Spray

The CDC recommends using a bug spray with DEET or picaridin — and caution to not put bug spray on children younger than 2 months.

C: Cover Up

Yes, it’s hot out, but ticks can’t bite what they can’t reach. Wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts when outdoors.