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Volume 9, Number 1—January 2003
Dispatch

Transfusion-Associated Babesiosis after Heart Transplant

Joseph Z. Lux*, Don Weiss†, Jeanne V. Linden‡, Debra Kessler§, Barbara L. Herwaldt¶, Susan J. Wong‡, Jan Keithly‡, Phyllis Della-Latta#, and Brian E. Scully*Comments to Author 
Author affiliations: *Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA; †New York City Department of Health, New York, New York, USA; ‡Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York, USA; §New York Blood Center, New York, New York, USA; ¶Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA; #Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, New York, USA

Main Article

Table

Results of serologic testing, polymerase chain reaction analyses, and hamster injection for specimens from the case-patient with babesiosis and the implicated blood donora

Date of specimen Timing of specimen Test Result of
testing
Case-patient
September 21, 2000
 Pretransplant
 Babesia microti IFA
 <1:8b
November 14, 2000
 Posttransplant
 B. microti IFA
 1:1024
November 14, 2000
 Posttransplant
 B. microti PCR
 Positive
September 21, 2000
 Pretransplant
 Agent of HGE, IgMc
 Negative
November 14, 000
 Posttransplant
 Agent of HGE, IgM
 Negative
September 21, 2000
 Pretransplant
 Agent of HGE, IgG
 Negative
November 14, 2000
 Posttransplant
 Agent of HGE, IgG
 Negative
September 21, 2000
 Pretransplant
 Ehrlichia chaffeensis IFA
 Negative
November 14, 2000
 Posttransplant
 E. chaffeensis IFA
 Negative
September 21, 2000
 Pretransplant
 Lyme ELFA
 Negative
November 14,2000
 Posttransplant
 Lyme ELFA
 Negative
Implicated blood donor (tested approximately 5 months after donation)
February 28, 2001
 Postdonation
 Babesia microti IFA
 1:256
February 28, 2001
 Postdonation
 B. microti PCR
 Negative
February 28, 2001 Postdonation Hamster inoculationd Negative

aIFA, indirect fluorescent antibody; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; HGE, human granulocytic ehrlichiosis; Ig, immunoglobulin; ELFA, enzyme-linked fluorescence assay.
bBabesia microti IFA≤ 1:8=negative.
cIgM and IgG immunoblots for HGE.
dTwo hamsters were each inoculated intraperitoneally on April 3 with 0.75 mL of blood obtained on
February 28. Giemsa-stained smears were made from hamster blood obtained twice weekly, for 8
weeks, by tail snip. The hamsters did not become demonstrably parasitemic

Main Article

Page created: December 07, 2010
Page updated: December 07, 2010
Page reviewed: December 07, 2010
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
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