[Effect of transfusing blood components containing Babesia microti on B. microti infection in BALB/c mice]
Shen Hui-Min1,2, Cai Yu-Chun2, Chen Jia-Xu2
1Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou 221004, China.
Objective:
To evaluate the effects of intravenous injection of different blood components containing Babesia microti on B. microti infection in mice.
Methods:
Healthy mice were infected with B. microti, and then blood samples were collected from the mouse orbit to prepare whole blood, serum-free blood components and pure red blood cells containing B. microti. Twenty seven BALB/c mice were divided into three groups, including the whole blood group, the serum-free blood component group and the pure red blood cell group, of 9 mice in each group, and then, each group was divided into three subgroups, of 3 mice in each subgroup, which were injected with 100 μL of blood components containing B. microti at concentrations of 9.00, 0.90, 0.09 B. microti parasites/μL (900, 90, 9 B. microti parasites) via the tail vein, respectively. Blood samples were collected from the mouse tail tip every other day since one day post-injection to prepare thin blood smears. Following Giemsa staining of blood smears, B. microti infection was identified in red blood cells using microscopy.
Results:
Following injection of 900 B. microti parasites, B. microti was identified in the peripheral blood in the whole blood group and the serum-free blood component group 3 days post-injection, and the density of B. microti parasites started to increase 15 days post-injection and peaked 21 days post-injection, with 2.21% and 1.76% rates of B. microti infection in red blood cells, respectively. Subsequently, the density of B. microti parasites declined, and the percentage of B. microti infection in red blood cells tended to be 0 31 days post-injection. During the study period, no B. microti was found in the peripheral blood in the pure red blood cell group. Following injection of 90 B. microti parasites, B. microti was identified in the peripheral blood in the whole blood group 3 days post-injection, and the density of B. microti parasites increased 15 days post-injection and peaked 21 days post-injection, with a 1.35% rate of B. microti infection in red blood cells, while the percentage of B. microti infection in red blood cells tended to be 0 31 days post-injection. During the study period, no B. microti was detected in the peripheral blood in the serum-free blood component group or the pure red blood cell group. Following injection of 9 B. microti parasites, no B. microti was detected in the peripheral blood in the whole blood group, the serum-free blood component group or the pure red blood cell group.
Conclusions:
Blood components and dose of B. microti parasites may affect intravenous injection of B. microti injection in mice, and transfusion of blood components may case a risk of Babesia infection.
Insights
Intravenous injection of whole blood or serum-free blood components containing Babesia microti (B. microti) can lead to infection in mice. Transfusing blood components poses a risk for Babesia infection.
Area of Science:
- Parasitology
- Infectious Diseases
- Hematology
Background:
- Babesia microti (B. microti) is an intraerythrocytic parasite transmitted by ticks, causing babesiosis.
- Blood transfusions are a potential route for B. microti transmission, necessitating an understanding of infection dynamics via different blood components.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of various blood components containing B. microti on the development of B. microti infection following intravenous administration in a murine model.
- To determine the influence of B. microti parasite dose and blood component type on infection establishment and progression.
Main Methods:
- BALB/c mice were intravenously injected with whole blood, serum-free blood components, or pure red blood cells containing B. microti at varying concentrations (900, 90, or 9 parasites).
- Infection was monitored by examining Giemsa-stained thin blood smears collected periodically from the tail tip.
- Parasitemia was quantified using microscopy to identify B. microti within red blood cells.
Main Results:
- Intravenous injection of 900 B. microti parasites in whole blood or serum-free components led to detectable parasitemia within 3 days, peaking at 21 days (2.21% and 1.76% RBC infection, respectively).
- Lower doses (90 parasites) resulted in transient parasitemia in the whole blood group only, while 9 parasites did not establish infection in any group.
- No B. microti infection was detected in mice receiving pure red blood cells, irrespective of the injected dose.
Conclusions:
- The type of blood component and the dose of B. microti parasites significantly influence the outcome of intravenous inoculation in mice.
- Transfusion of blood components, particularly whole blood and serum-free components, carries a risk of transmitting Babesia infections.
