Excerpt:

Tick-borne pathogens such as Lyme borreliosis spirochaetes,
Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Rickettsia spp. and Babesia spp. cause
a great variety of diseases in animals and humans. Although their
importance with respect to emerging human diseases is increasing,
many issues about their ecology are still unclear. In spring
2007, 191 Ixodes ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae) ticks were collected
from 99 birds of 11 species on a bird conservation island in the
Baltic Sea in order to test them for Borrelia spp., A.
phagocytophilum, Rickettsia spp. and Babesia spp. infections.
Identification of the pathogens was performed by polymerase chain
reaction (PCR), restriction fragment length polymorphism and
sequence analysis. The majority of birds with ticks testing
positive were European robins and thrushes. Borrelia DNA was
detected in 14.1%, A. phagocytophilum in 2.6%, rickettsiae in
7.3% and Babesia spp. in 4.7% of the ticks. Co-infections with
different pathogens occurred in six ticks (3.1%). The fact that
11 ticks (five larvae, six nymphs) were infected with Borrelia
afzelii suggests that birds may, contrary to current opinion,
serve as reservoir hosts for this species. Among rickettsial
infections, we identified Rickettsia monacensis and Rickettsia
helvetica. As we detected five Rickettsia spp.
positive larvae and two birds carried more than one infected
tick, transmission of those pathogens from birds to ticks appears
possible.

Excerpt:

Tick-borne pathogens such as Lyme borreliosis spirochaetes,
Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Rickettsia spp. and Babesia spp. cause
a great variety of diseases in animals and humans. Although their
importance with respect to emerging human diseases is increasing,
many issues about their ecology are still unclear. In spring
2007, 191 Ixodes ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae) ticks were collected
from 99 birds of 11 species on a bird conservation island in the
Baltic Sea in order to test them for Borrelia spp., A.
phagocytophilum, Rickettsia spp. and Babesia spp. infections.
Identification of the pathogens was performed by polymerase chain
reaction (PCR), restriction fragment length polymorphism and
sequence analysis. The majority of birds with ticks testing
positive were European robins and thrushes. Borrelia DNA was
detected in 14.1%, A. phagocytophilum in 2.6%, rickettsiae in
7.3% and Babesia spp. in 4.7% of the ticks. Co-infections with
different pathogens occurred in six ticks (3.1%). The fact that
11 ticks (five larvae, six nymphs) were infected with Borrelia
afzelii suggests that birds may, contrary to current opinion,
serve as reservoir hosts for this species. Among rickettsial
infections, we identified Rickettsia monacensis and Rickettsia
helvetica. As we detected five Rickettsia spp.
positive larvae and two birds carried more than one infected
tick, transmission of those pathogens from birds to ticks appears
possible.

Background: Most cases of human babesiosis in North America are caused
by Babesia microti, which is endemic in the northeastern and upper
midwestern United States. Although the disease is usually transmitted by
a tick bite, there has been an increase in the number of
transfusion-transmitted cases reported. We describe a fatal case of
transfusion-transmitted babesiosis in a nonendemic state, Delaware.

Case Report: The patient was a 43-year-old Caucasian woman with history
of transfusion-dependent Diamond-Blackfan syndrome, hepatitis C, and
splenectomy. She was admitted initially for presumptive pneumonia. The
next day, a routine examination of the peripheral blood smears revealed
numerous intraerythrocytic ring forms, consistent with Babesia. The
parasitemia was approximately 5% to 6%. The diagnosis was confirmed by
positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for B. microti DNA and high
titer of antibody to B. microti (1:2048). Despite aggressive therapy
including clindamycin and quinine antibiotics, the patient expired 3
days after admission. Subsequently, 13 blood donors were tested for B.
microti. All tested donors were negative by PCR. However, one donor
living in New Jersey had a significant elevated B. microti antibody
titer (1:1024).

Conclusions: We believe that this is the first reported case of
transfusion-transmitted babesiosis in Delaware, a nonendemic state. Our
case illustrates that clinicians should consider babesiosis in the
differential diagnosis of immunocompromised patients who have fever and
recent transfusion history, even in areas where babesiosis is not
endemic. It also demonstrates the need for better preventive strategies
including more sensitive, specific, and rapid blood donor screening
tests to prevent transfusion-transmitted babesiosis.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1537-2995.2009.02454.x