ABSTRACT
Clinical symptoms occur 1 to 4 weeks after the tick bite, with an acute febrile illness followed by the features of hemolytic anemia. In patients with
splenic hypofunction
, the disorder can be severe, with fulminant
intravascular hemolysis
,
disseminated intravascular coagulation
, hypovolemia, and renal failure. Subclinical illness can occur. Diagnosis is by detection in peripheral blood smears of babesia in red blood cells.
