Absence of erythrocyte sequestration in a case of babesiosis in a splenectomized human patient.
BACKGROUND
The importance of vascular occlusion in the pathogenesis of human haemoprotozoal disease is unresolved.


METHODS
Giemsa-stained tissue sections from a human case of Babesia microti infection in a splenectomized patient with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and colon cancer were examined to ascertain the distribution of parasitized erythrocytes within the vascular lumen.


RESULTS
No evidence of sequestration was observed.


CONCLUSIONS
This first report on the vascular location of B. microti in human tissue suggests that severe multi-organ failure due to babesiosis is independent of sequestration of parasitized erythrocytes. A similar pathogenesis may also cause multi-organ failure in other intraerythrocytic protozoal infections, including falciparum malaria.
Clark
Ian A
IA
School of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia. ian.clark@anu.edu.au
Budd
Alison C
AC
Hsue
Gunther
G
Haymore
Bret R
BR
Joyce
Alina J
AJ
Thorner
Richard
R
Krause
Peter J
PJ
D000368:Aged; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013156:Splenectomy