Human babesiosis: recent advances and future challenges

Area of Science:

• Parasitology
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• Human babesiosis, caused by Babesia parasites, presents risks including transfusion-transmitted illness and relapsing disease in immunocompromised individuals.
• Emerging tick-borne cases are reported in new geographical regions, highlighting the expanding epidemiology of Babesia infections.
• The parasite's unique lifecycle strategies contribute to its persistence and pose challenges for disease management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review novel findings in Babesia parasite biology relevant to human babesiosis pathology.
• To discuss the impact of newly licensed FDA blood screening tools on transfusion-transmitted babesiosis.
• To highlight the evolving epidemiology and public health significance of human babesiosis.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent scientific literature on Babesia parasite biology and clinical reports.
• Analysis of the implications of new blood screening tests and pathogen inactivation technologies.
• Discussion of epidemiological trends and geographical spread of human babesiosis.

Main Results:

• Novel aspects of the Babesia parasite lifecycle, crucial for persistence, have been identified.
• The introduction of new blood donor screening tests has led to a decrease in transfusion-transmitted babesiosis.
• Increased tick-borne babesiosis cases are noted in diverse global regions, including the Pacific Northwest, Eastern Europe, and China.

Conclusions:

• Human babesiosis is a growing public health concern due to changing epidemiology and the emergence of new Babesia species.
• Understanding parasite biology and lifecycle is essential for developing effective detection, treatment, and mitigation strategies.
• Licensed blood screening tests are improving blood supply safety by reducing transfusion-transmitted babesiosis incidence.