You may not have heard of babesiosis; it’s a rare condition that is spread specifically through ticks. However, despite the strangely endearing-sounding name, the disease can potentially be life-threatening and should be taken extremely seriously. It produces symptoms quite similar to malaria, and is caused by microscopic parasites which invade red blood cells. Animals have been found to carry many different strains of babesiosis, with only a few of those strains being detected in humans. Babesiosis is also notorious as a prominent Lyme co-infection. Both diseases can be transmitted simultaneously through a single tick bite. Because Lyme disease is often the main cause for concern, a test for babesiosis can often be overlooked. However, it’s important to eradicate Lyme and its co-infections concurrently, making the testing and diagnostic stage crucial.
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