Babesiosis as a cause of fever in patients undergoing a splenectomy.

Abstract

Babesiosis is an emerging infection most commonly acquired from a tick bite. We describe three hospitalized patients with fever attributable to babesiosis after a splenectomy. Splenectomy was done because of splenic enlargement due to unsuspected babesia infection in one patient and because of splenic perforation due to babesiosis in a second patient. The third patient underwent splenectomy for trauma and acquired babesiosis postoperatively from a blood transfusion. Our cases demonstrate the need to be vigilant for babesiosis in patients undergoing splenectomy.

• Authors: Gary P Wormser, Gary Lombardo, Fredric Silverblatt, Marc Y El Khoury, Aakanksha Prasad, Jay A Yelon, Alina Sanda, Sadiqa Karim, Lindita Coku, John A Savino
• Journal: The American surgeon (Am Surg) Vol. 77 Issue 3 Pg. 345-7 (Mar 2011) ISSN: 0003-1348 [Print] United States
• PMID: 21375849 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Topics

• Babesiosis (diagnosis, etiology, therapy)
• Fever (parasitology)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Splenectomy (adverse effects)
• Splenic Diseases (diagnosis, parasitology, surgery)
• Transfusion Reaction
• Young Adult