Babesiosis-associated neurological complications on the rise in endemic areas

In areas where babesiosis (an illness caused by a parasite of the Babesia spp., which infects and destroys the red blood cells) is prevalent, neurological complications associated with this disease are not uncommon.

The protozoa typically spread it through the bite of infected ticks. These ticks are the primary vectors for transmitting the disease. It can occur globally. The disease commonly presents with symptoms resembling a flu-like illness, but neurological symptoms have been observed, especially in individuals over 50 years of age or those with weakened immune systems.

Researchers at Yale-New Haven Hospital conducted a study to investigate the characteristics and neurological manifestations of patients diagnosed with babesiosis. The symptoms ranged from acute cerebrovascular disease, syncope (fainting), ataxia (loss of coordination), confusion or delirium, headache, facial weakness, impaired consciousness, nerve pain, tremor, vision impairment, vertigo, language deficits, and seizures.

The severity of these symptoms was linked to the degree of parasitemia (the presence of the parasite in the blood).