Better Blood Screening Process Needed To Prevent Babesiosis Transmission

Babesiosis is a potentially dangerous parasitic disease transmitted by ticks and is common in the Northeast and the upper Midwest. It can also be transmitted through a blood transfusion from an infected but otherwise asymptomatic blood donor. A new study finds a dramatic increase in the number of transfusion-transmitted babesiosis cases, leading to a call for a better screening test in blood donors living in areas of the country where babesiosis is prevalent.