Babesia och TBE-virus: fästingburna smittor som kan vara svåra att diagnosticera

Tick-borne diseases seem to be more diverse and common than we earlier have known. Babesia, a malaria-like parasite, has been shown to be present in all inhabited continents and been able to invade a diverse number of mammals and also birds. In the US the awareness is fairly widespread and 2000 human cases are diagnosed annually. The diseases should be considered in patients showing relevant symptoms, especially in combination with risk factors as immunosuppression and previous splenectomy. It also challenges the procedures of blood transfusions and the lack of awareness of the parasite today in northern Europe.