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Glite Dictionary
🦠 A blood parasite 🦠 A parasite genus
Babesia

Babesia

9.9
A tiny parasite that infects the red blood cells of mammals and spreads by ticks
  • noun
  • /bəˈbiːziə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Babesia
  • Human babesiosis is an emerging tick-borne disease caused by the intraerythrocytic protozoan Babesia microti.
  • Babesia microti
  • infection with Babesia

Examples

  • The disease known as babesiosis is primarily caused by the Babesia parasite.

  • Blood tests can identify Babesia to confirm a diagnosis of babesiosis.

  • Veterinarians often test for Babesia infections in livestock to prevent illness.

Surface Forms

Babesia singular
Babesias plural

Etymology

Babesia is named after the Romanian doctor Babeș with the scientific ending -ia, so it literally means 'organism of Babeș'. So, Babesia is the name for tiny parasites that infect red blood cells, and the disease they cause is called 'babesiosis'.