First case of human babesiosis in Korea: detection and characterization of a novel type of Babesia sp. (KO1) similar to ovine Babesia
Jung-Yeon Kim, Shin-Hyeong Cho, Hyun-Na Joo, Masayoshi Tsuji, Sung-Ran Cho, Il-Joong Park, Gyung-Tae Chung, Jung-Won Ju, Hyeng-Il Cheun, Hyeong-Woo Lee, Young-Hee Lee, and Tong-Soo Kim*
Division of Malaria and Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Health, KCDC,Seoul 122-701, Korea; School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno-Gakuen University, Ebetsu 069-8501, Japan; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, 443-749, Korea (*Email: [email protected])
We report the first case of human babesiosis in Korea. The intraerythrocytic parasite (KO1) in the patient's blood appeared as mainly paired pyriforms and ring forms, but Maltese-cross forms were not seen, showing morphological feature consistent with those of the genus Babesia sensu stricto.
The sequence of the 18S rRNA gene of KO1 was closely related to that of Babesia sp. isolated from sheep in China (98% similarity). The present study showed the first evidence of the presence of a hitherto unidentified, new type of Babesia parasite capable of infecting humans.
Posts: 621 | From US | Registered: Jun 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
Makes me wonder how similar it is to the babesia described in this recent CaliforniaLyme post (also infecting sheep):
J Wildl Dis. 2005 Oct;41(4):683-90.
New ruminant hosts and wider geographic range identified for Babesia odocoilei (Emerson and Wright 1970).
Schoelkopf L, Hutchinson CE, Bendele KG, Goff WL, Willette M, Rasmussen JM, Holman PJ. Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA.
Babesia odocoilei was found to infect two previously unknown host species, desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) and musk oxen (Ovibos moschatus), both of which are members of the family Bovidae.
Previously, B. odocoilei has been reported in only Cervidae hosts. New geographic regions where B. odocoilei infections have not been reported previously include Pennsylvania and New York, where fatal babesiosis has occurred in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus); New Hampshire, where elk (Cervus elaphus canadensis) have been affected; and California, home of the infected desert bighorn sheep.
Infection with B. odocoilei in these hosts was confirmed by parasite small subunit ribosomal RNA gene sequence analysis. A serosurvey for B. odocoilei antibody activity in New Hampshire showed prevalence rates of 100% at two elk farms and 12% at another farm. Control of potential vector ticks, Ixodes scapularis, especially when translocating livestock, is imperative to prevent outbreaks of babesiosis in managed herds of potential host species.
PMID: 16456156 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Posts: 8430 | From Not available | Registered: Oct 2000
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic