Post-Babesiosis Warm Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia. 2017

Ann E Woolley, and Mary W Montgomery, and William J Savage, and Maureen O Achebe, and Kathleen Dunford, and Sarah Villeda, and James H Maguire, and Francisco M Marty
From the Divisions of Infectious Diseases (A.E.W., M.W.M., K.D., S.V., J.H.M., F.M.M.), Transfusion Medicine (W.J.S.), and Hematology (M.O.A.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School (A.E.W., M.W.M., W.J.S., M.O.A., J.H.M., F.M.M.), and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (A.E.W., M.O.A., F.M.M.) - all in Boston.

Background Babesiosis, a tickborne zoonotic disease caused by intraerythrocytic protozoa of the genus babesia, is characterized by nonimmune hemolytic anemia that resolves with antimicrobial treatment and clearance of parasitemia. The development of warm-antibody autoimmune hemolytic anemia (also known as warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia [WAHA]) in patients with babesiosis has not previously been well described. Methods After the observation of sporadic cases of WAHA that occurred after treatment of patients for babesiosis, we conducted a retrospective cohort study of all the patients with babesiosis who were cared for at our center from January 2009 through June 2016. Data on covariates of interest were extracted from the medical records, including any hematologic complications that occurred within 3 months after the diagnosis and treatment of babesiosis. Results A total of 86 patients received a diagnosis of babesiosis during the 7.5-year study period; 18 of these patients were asplenic. WAHA developed in 6 patients 2 to 4 weeks after the diagnosis of babesiosis, by which time all the patients had had clinical and laboratory responses to antimicrobial treatment of babesiosis, including clearance of Babesia microti parasitemia. All 6 patients were asplenic (P<0.001) and had positive direct antiglobulin tests for IgG and complement component 3; warm autoantibodies were identified in all these patients. No alternative explanation for clinical hemolysis was found. WAHA required immunosuppressive treatment in 4 of the 6 patients. Conclusions We documented post-babesiosis WAHA in patients who did not have a history of autoimmunity; asplenic patients appeared to be particularly at risk.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D000744 Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune Acquired hemolytic anemia due to the presence of AUTOANTIBODIES which agglutinate or lyse the patient's own RED BLOOD CELLS. Anemia, Hemolytic, Idiopathic Acquired,Autoimmune Haemolytic Anaemia,Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia,Cold Agglutinin Disease,Hemolytic Anemia, Autoimmune,Acquired Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia,Anemia, Hemolytic, Cold Antibody,Cold Antibody Disease,Cold Antibody Hemolytic Anemia,Idiopathic Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia,Agglutinin Disease, Cold,Anaemia, Autoimmune Haemolytic,Anemia, Autoimmune Hemolytic,Autoimmune Haemolytic Anaemias,Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemias,Cold Agglutinin Diseases,Cold Antibody Diseases,Haemolytic Anaemia, Autoimmune
D001323 Autoantibodies Antibodies that react with self-antigens (AUTOANTIGENS) of the organism that produced them. Autoantibody
D001404 Babesiosis A group of tick-borne diseases of mammals including ZOONOSES in humans. They are caused by protozoa of the genus BABESIA, which parasitize erythrocytes, producing hemolysis. In the U.S., the organism's natural host is mice and transmission is by the deer tick IXODES SCAPULARIS. Babesiasis,Piroplasmosis,Babesia Infection,Babesia Parasite Infection,Human Babesiosis,Babesia Infections,Babesia Parasite Infections,Babesiases,Babesioses,Babesioses, Human,Babesiosis, Human,Human Babesioses,Infection, Babesia,Infection, Babesia Parasite,Infections, Babesia,Infections, Babesia Parasite,Piroplasmoses
D012307 Risk Factors An aspect of personal behavior or lifestyle, environmental exposure, inborn or inherited characteristic, which, based on epidemiological evidence, is known to be associated with a health-related condition considered important to prevent. Health Correlates,Risk Factor Scores,Risk Scores,Social Risk Factors,Population at Risk,Populations at Risk,Correlates, Health,Factor, Risk,Factor, Social Risk,Factors, Social Risk,Risk Factor,Risk Factor Score,Risk Factor, Social,Risk Factors, Social,Risk Score,Score, Risk,Score, Risk Factor,Social Risk Factor
D013156 Splenectomy Surgical procedure involving either partial or entire removal of the spleen. Splenectomies
D041001 Babesia microti A species of protozoa infecting humans via the intermediate tick vector IXODES scapularis. The other hosts are the mouse PEROMYSCUS leucopus and meadow vole MICROTUS pennsylvanicus, which are fed on by the tick. Other primates can be experimentally infected with Babesia microti. Babesia microtus,microtus, Babesia

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