Babesia microti
| Babesia microti | |
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| Species: | Theileria microti
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Theileria microti is a parasitic blood-borne piroplasm transmitted by deer ticks. It was previously in the taxonomic genus Babesia, as Babesia microti, until ribosomal RNA comparisons placed it in the sister genus Theileria.[1][2] T. microti is responsible for the disease human theileriosis, similar to babesiosis, a malaria-like disease which also causes fever and hemolysis.
An important difference from malaria is that T. microti does not infect liver cells. Additionally, the piroplasm is spread by tick bites (Ixodes scapularis, the same tick that spreads Lyme disease), while the malaria protozoans are spread via mosquito. Finally, under the microscope, the merozoite form of the T. microti lifecycle in red blood cells forms a cross-shaped structure, often referred to as a "Maltese cross", whereas malaria forms more of a diamond ring structure in red blood cells.[3]
References
- ^ UILENBERG,G. & GOFF,W.L. (2006). "Polyphasic Taxonomy". Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 1081: 495. doi:10.1196/annals.1373.073. PMID 17135557.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)[1] - ^ Uilenberg, G (2006). "Babesia--a historical overview". Veterinary Parasitology. 138 (1–2): 3–10. doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2006.01.035. PMID 16513280.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ Goldberg, Stephen (2007). Clinical Microbiology made Ridiculously Simple (4th ed.). Medmaster. ISBN 978-0940780217.
External links
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