Babesiosis: A Growing Threat from Tick-Borne Diseases.

Scientists have sequenced and assembled the first high-quality nuclear genome of Babesia duncani, a pathogen responsible for a malaria-like disease called babesiosis. The tick that spreads babesiosis is mainly found in wooded or grassy areas and is the same tick that transmits Lyme disease, with around 20% of babesiosis patients co-infected with Lyme disease. The study reveals that the parasite has evolved new classes of multigene families, allowing it to evade host immune responses. The research team identified potential inhibitors of the parasite’s development, such as pyrimethamine, which could lead to more effective therapies for treating and managing human babesiosis.