Babesiosis is a serious disease caused by the release of Babesia bacteria into the circulation , following the bite of an infected tick .
The infection may remain asymptomatic or present with a malarial-like clinical picture (asthenia, fever, nausea and vomiting, muscle pain and jaundice), after an incubation period of about 1-4 weeks. Babesiosis can last for several days and sometimes last for months. Sometimes it can express itself as a severe, rapidly fatal disease, complicated by severe anemia and renal and respiratory failure. The therapy is based on the use of different drugs including clindamycin, azithromycin, atovaquone and antimalarials, such as quinine.
