The Babesia observational antibody (BAOBAB) study: A cross-sectional evaluation of Babesia in two communities in Kilosa district, Tanzania.

Autor: Evan M Bloch, Zakayo Mrango, Mabula Kasubi, Jerusha Weaver, Aleksandra Mihailovic, Beatriz Munoz, Anna Weimer, Andrew Levin, Laura Tonnetti, Jeffrey M Linnen, Vanessa Brès, Douglas E Norris, Giovanna Carpi, Sheila K West
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2019
Předmět:
Zdroj: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Vol 13, Iss 8, p e0007632 (2019)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 1935-2727
1935-2735
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007632
Popis: BackgroundBabesia, a tick-borne genus of intraerythrocytic parasites, is understudied in humans outside of established high-endemic areas. There is a paucity of data on Babesia in Africa, despite evidence that it is regionally present. A pilot study suggested that Babesia was present in a rural district of Tanzania.Methodology/principal findingsA cross-sectional study was conducted July-August 2017: residents in a case hamlet that had clustering of subjects with high signal-to-cut off (S/CO) ratios for antibodies against B. microti in the pilot study, and a control hamlet that had lacked significant signal, were evaluated for B. microti. Subjects aged ≥15yrs (n = 299) underwent clinical evaluation and household inspections; 10ml whole blood was drawn for Babesia transcription mediated amplification (TMA), B. microti indirect fluorescent antibody testing (IFA) and rapid diagnostic testing (RDT) for Plasmodium spp. Subjects aged Conclusions/significanceThe findings offer further support for Babesia in rural Tanzania. However, low prevalence of seroreactivity questions its clinical significance.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals
Externí odkaz:
Nepřihlášeným uživatelům se plný text nezobrazuje