Synonym: piroplasmosis, "The malaria of the North East"
Babesiosis is an uncommon but worldwide vector-borne malaria-like parasitic disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Babesia.1 Babesiosis is an infection of rodents, cattle, wild animals and man and is spread by the bites of ixodid (hard-bodied) ticks which are also the vectors for Lyme disease (25% of babesiosis patients have both diseases).2
This is a companion discussion topic for the original article at https://patient.info/doctor/infectious-disease/babesiosis.htm