http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/20009666.2017.1299398
Abstract
Human babesiosis co-infected with Lyme disease in a young patient is an important condition. Here, we describe a case of a 39-year-old male patient with concurrent babesiosis and Lyme disease. Co-infections of tick borne diseases are often difficult to diagnose and underreported, and resulting in significant morbidity and mortality to patients. While co-infections have been infrequently described, it is of paramount importance that clinicians should be able to diagnose early and treat them effectively according to the patient geographical area and history of tick bite.
**Comment**
“The powers that be” have their heads in the sand when it comes to all things TBI (tick borne infections). They speak of Lyme in terms of a single organism when most are infected with multiple organisms which complicate cases exponentially. https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/05/01/co-infection-of-ticks-the-rule-rather-than-the-exception/ This link shows that 45% of tested ticks were coinfected and carried up to 5 different pathogens. This directly translates to human infection and a survey substantiates this: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2014/11/14/studies-show-why-its-tough-to-treat-lyme-and-co/ The most common co-infections in the LDo study were Babesia (32%), Bartonella (28%), and Ehrlichia (15%) while a study by Dr. Janet Sperling in Canada found that the most common were Bartonella (36%), Babesia (19%), and Anaplasma (13%).
Besides the fact it is a misnomer to think it novel that a patient has concurrent Lyme and Babesiosis, it is also a huge mistake to base treatment on geographical area as time and time again, entomologists are finding ticks in places they just shouldn’t be and ticks that shouldn’t be carrying pathogens, carrying them. Also, using logic, until every bird, fox, squirrel, lizard, deer, and every other rodent on the earth read the memo that they are not supposed to cross state and country boundaries, ticks are going to continue to defy the box “experts” put them into. And, there are other ways for pathogens to travel across state lines: https://doi.org/10.1111/tid.12741
Abstract
The potential for transmission of Babesia microti by blood transfusion is well recognized. Physicians may be unaware that products used for transfusion may be collected from geographically diverse regions. We describe a liver transplant recipient in South Carolina who likely acquired B. microti infection from a unit of blood collected in Minnesota.
Also, one must be careful of the “history of tick bite,” as well, as many never see the tick or subsequent bite, and fail to get a rash. A nymphal tick is nearly impossible to see. Lyme/MSIDS is a CLINICAL diagnosis.
Accurately, the authors advise diagnosing and treating early, but herein lies the catch-22, if practitioners continue to follow the outdated and unscientific IDSA/CDC guidelines and take a “wait and see” approach, waiting for positive serology from tests which are so stringent and biased, most patients will be missed.
This is the topsy-turvy world Lyme/MSIDS patients live in.
Madison Area Lyme Support Group 