title: First case of human babesiosis in Korea: detection and characterization of a novel type of Babesia sp. (KO1) similar to ovine babesia.
abstract: We report on the first case of human babesiosis in Korea. The intraerythrocytic parasite (KO1) in the patient's blood mainly appeared as paired pyriforms and ring forms; but Maltese cross forms were not seen, and the parasite showed morphological features consistent with those of the genus Babesia sensu stricto. The sequence of the 18S rRNA gene of KO1 was closely related to that of Babesia spp. isolated from sheep in China (similarity, 98%). The present study provides the first evidence of the presence of a hitherto unidentified, new type of Babesia parasite capable of infecting humans.
authors: Division of Malaria and Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Health, Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Seoul 122-701, Korea.
authors: Jung-Yeon
authors: JY
authors: Kim
authors: Shin-Hyeong
authors: SH
authors: Cho
authors: Hyun-Na
authors: HN
authors: Joo
authors: Masayoshi
authors: M
authors: Tsuji
authors: Sung-Ran
authors: SR
authors: Cho
authors: Il-Joong
authors: IJ
authors: Park
authors: Gyung-Tae
authors: GT
authors: Chung
authors: Jung-Won
authors: JW
authors: Ju
authors: Hyeng-Il
authors: HI
authors: Cheun
authors: Hyeong-Woo
authors: HW
authors: Lee
authors: Young-Hee
authors: YH
authors: Lee
authors: Tong-Soo
authors: TS
authors: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D001403:Babesia / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012756:Sheep / Q000469:parasitology; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S