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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences
Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia Associated With Babesiosis, Roshni Narurkar, Aleksandra Mamorska-Dyga, John Nelson, Delong Liu
Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia Associated With Babesiosis, Roshni Narurkar, Aleksandra Mamorska-Dyga, John Nelson, Delong Liu
NYMC Faculty Publications
BACKGROUND: Babesiosis is endemic in selected areas in North America. Babesia infection is commonly associated with anemia, thrombocytopenia, hyponatremia and elevated liver enzymes. Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) is known to be caused by parasitic and viral infections but has not been well characterized. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe two cases diagnosed with babesiosis triggering severe AIHA. One case had history of splenectomy, and the other was an elderly patient. Older, immunocompromised and asplenic patients may be particularly at risk for post-babesiosis AIHA (PB-AIHA). CONCLUSIONS: The pathogenesis for conventional AIHA and PB-AIHA appears to be different, since splenectomy is a treatment for …
Babesiosis-Associated Immune Thrombocytopenia, Roshni Narurkar, Aleksandra Mamorska-Dyga, A Agarwal, John Nelson, Delong Liu
Babesiosis-Associated Immune Thrombocytopenia, Roshni Narurkar, Aleksandra Mamorska-Dyga, A Agarwal, John Nelson, Delong Liu
NYMC Faculty Publications
Thrombocytopenia is a common feature of babesiosis. The mechanism for thrombocytopenia in babesiosis remains elusive. We report a case of babesiosis with severe new onset immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). In addition to antibiotics treatment for babesiosis, ITP therapy was administered. ITP in the present case was most likely triggered by the babesia infection. The severity of ITP in this case was not proportional to the severity of parasitemia. The neoantigen triggering the autoimmune response in babesiosis requires further characterization.