Volume 31, Number 9—September 2025
Research
Theileria luwenshuni and Novel Babesia spp. Infections in Humans, Yunnan Province, China
Rong Xiang1, Chun-Hong Du1, Yi-Lin Zhao1, Zhi Luo, Miao Li, Dan-Ni Zeng, Fan Wang, Chao-Bo Du, Yi Sun
, Qiao-Cheng Chang , and Jia-Fu Jiang
, Qiao-Cheng Chang , and Jia-Fu Jiang
Table 1
Characteristics of 18 patients hospitalized for Theileria luwenshuni and Babesia spp. infection, China*
| Characteristic | T. luwenshuni cases, n = 13 | Babesia spp. cases, n = 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Age, y (IQR) |
40 (32.5–68.0) |
56 (25.5–59.5) |
| Sex | ||
| M | 10 (77) | 4 (80) |
| F |
3 (23) |
1 (20) |
| Length of hospital stay, d (IQR) | 13 (7.5–17.0) | 10 (5.5–10.5) |
| Occupation as farmer |
13 (100) |
5 (100) |
| Medical history and underlying disease | ||
| Renal failure | 5 (38) | 1 (20) |
| Cancer | 3 (23) | 0 |
| Upper gastrointestinal bleeding |
5 (38) |
3 (60) |
| Clinical manifestations† | ||
| Nonspecific symptoms | ||
| Dizziness | 3 (23) | 4 (80) |
| Malaise | 5 (38) | 4 (80) |
| Cough | 1 (8) | 0 |
| Jaundice | 1 (8) | 0 |
| Splenomegaly | 1 (8) | 0 |
| Weight loss | 1 (8) | 0 |
| Cardiovascular manifestations | ||
| Chest discomfort | 1 (8) | 1 (20) |
| Palpitations | 3 (23) | 1 (20) |
| Dyspnea | 2 (15) | 1 (20) |
| Gastrointestinal manifestations | ||
| Anorexia | 8 (62) | 2 (40) |
| Vomiting | 4 (31) | 0 |
| Bloating | 1 (8) | 1 (20) |
| Stomachache | 1 (8) | 0 |
| Hematemesis | 3 (23) | 0 |
| Melena | 4 (31) | 3 (60) |
| Neurologic manifestations | ||
| Syncope | 1 (8) | 1 (20) |
| Listlessness |
8 (62) |
2 (40) |
| Laboratory findings | ||
| Anemia | 13 (100) | 5 (100) |
| Leukocytosis | 2 (15) | 1 (20) |
| Elevated serum AST or ALT or γ-GGT concentration | 1 (8) | 0 |
*Values are no. (%) patient except as indicated. ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; γ-GGT, gamma-glutamyl transferase; IQR, interquartile range. †Patients could report >1 symptom.
1These authors contributed equally to this article.
Page created: July 17, 2025
Page updated: August 26, 2025
Page reviewed: August 26, 2025
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