Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
Three Sick With Rare Tick-Borne Illness
Virginia State health officials say three people have been infected with a rare illness after receiving a blood transfusion. The three patients have been diagnosed with an infection called babesiosis. Babesiosis is tick-borne and carries malaria-type symptoms with it. The main carrier of babesiosis are black leg ticks, also known as deer ticks, and they are common in Virginia.
Health officials have tracked the tainted blood back to a donor from Charlottesville that is a frequent hiker. The illness can be deadly for someone with severe health issues, just the type that would likely need a blood transfusion.
Babesiosis infections from blood transfusions are extremely rare. Nationally there are 10 million blood donations every year and only 70 times in history has there been a babesiosis infection. Officials point out this is the first time it's ever happened in Virginia.
Black leg ticks are becoming more and more common in Virginia, which leads to two major problems. The state doesn't have the funds to track and collect the ticks and a test to screen for the illness doesn't exist.
The Virginia Department of Health is looking into ways to safeguard the blood supply to prevent other infections in the future. The Center for Disease Control has been made aware of this case.
http://www.wric.com/global/story.asp?s=10868435
Virginia State health officials say three people have been infected with a rare illness after receiving a blood transfusion. The three patients have been diagnosed with an infection called babesiosis. Babesiosis is tick-borne and carries malaria-type symptoms with it. The main carrier of babesiosis are black leg ticks, also known as deer ticks, and they are common in Virginia.
Health officials have tracked the tainted blood back to a donor from Charlottesville that is a frequent hiker. The illness can be deadly for someone with severe health issues, just the type that would likely need a blood transfusion.
Babesiosis infections from blood transfusions are extremely rare. Nationally there are 10 million blood donations every year and only 70 times in history has there been a babesiosis infection. Officials point out this is the first time it's ever happened in Virginia.
Black leg ticks are becoming more and more common in Virginia, which leads to two major problems. The state doesn't have the funds to track and collect the ticks and a test to screen for the illness doesn't exist.
The Virginia Department of Health is looking into ways to safeguard the blood supply to prevent other infections in the future. The Center for Disease Control has been made aware of this case.
http://www.wric.com/global/story.asp?s=10868435