Public health officials warn of tick-borne disease Babesiosis

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - As we move into spring and people head outside, health officials are warning people to be extra careful when it comes to ticks. 

Pennsylvania's Lyme disease problem is well known but there's another tick-borne disease that could also dramatically impact your health. It's called Babesiosis.

"It lives in the red blood cells of mammals," explained Pitt School of Public Health assistant professor Dr. Danielle Tufts.

"A lot of people, it's asymptomatic, so it doesn't show any symptoms, but it is a Malaria-like pathogen," Tufts said. 

The symptoms include fever, chills, sweats, loss of appetite, nausea and fatigue, but it can be deadly in people who are immunocompromised.

Dr. Tufts says the disease is a threat in another way.

"This could be a problem for the national blood supply. If a person doesn't know they're infected, and they give blood, then someone who gets that transfusion can now get infected," Dr. Tufts said. 

There is some good news: Babesiosis is very treatable if you can get tested.

"One of the issues with babesiosis is it's not tested for in Pennsylvania so it's very hard to determine what the cases are in Pennsylvania," Dr. Tufts says. 

Dr. Tufts says none of this should discourage anyone from heading into the wilds of Pennsylvania. Just take care of the following: "If you are outside do your tick checks as soon as you get done with your hike, even if you do some gardening in your backyard, come in and check for ticks.

For more information on Babesiosis, go to cdc.org.