PREGNANT WOMAN WITH BABESIOSIS ACQUIRED IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT IN ECUADOR
Abstract
Introduction: rare emerging diseases such as Babesiosis are becoming more common due to climatic changes; thus, it is possible to locate them in more unusual settings.
Case description: we report the case of a 25-year-old pregnant female who was hospitalized due to a febrile illness with recurrent bouts of jaundice and hemolysis. Her travel history was only relevant for insect exposure, yet not in a region where ticks were present. Studies determined the presence of Babesia spp. in her smears. Treatment was instituted with a combination of Clindamycin and Quinine with spectacular results and a successful delivery of a healthy non-infected child.
Conclusion: Babesia infections during pregnancy pose several diagnostic challenges and are seldom described in the literature. In Ecuador the infection is rare and usually related to exposure to cattle, highlighting the need to consider this disease in the differential diagnosis of patients with an acute febrile illness.
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