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  • Perinatal/Neonatal Case Presentation
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Perinatal/Neonatal Case Presentation

A cluster of transfusion-associated babesiosis in extremely low birthweight premature infants

Journal of Perinatology volume 32, pages 731–733 (2012)Cite this article

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Abstract

Babesiosis is a parasitic infection of the red blood cells most often acquired by a tick bite. As it has also been known to be transmitted vertically and via transfusion, neonates have occasionally been reported with the infection. Here, we report a series of three premature neonates who acquired babesiosis via blood transfusion from a single donor, one of whom had difficulty clearing the infection and required multiple antimicrobials.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge Jean Garrett of the CJW Hospital Clinical Laboratory and Mary Mismas of the DCLS for their technical assistance with evaluation of numerous blood specimens for parasitemia. We would also like to acknowledge the assistance of Barbara Herwaldt and other members of the CDC Division of Parasitic Diseases for their review and confirmation of parasitemia in these infants.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Neonatology, Pediatrix Medical Group, CJW Medical Center, Richmond, VA, USA

    P Kumar

  2. Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Children's Hospital of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University Health System, Richmond, VA, USA

    B C Marshall & W C Koch

  3. Department of Pathology, CJW Medical Center, Richmond, VA, USA

    G deBlois

Authors
  1. P Kumar
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  2. B C Marshall
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  3. G deBlois
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  4. W C Koch
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to P Kumar.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Kumar, P., Marshall, B., deBlois, G. et al. A cluster of transfusion-associated babesiosis in extremely low birthweight premature infants. J Perinatol 32, 731–733 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2012.33

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2012.33

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