Warning Signs Of Babesiosis

Bruising

A bruise is the discoloration of the skin when blood has leaked out of a blood vessel and accumulates underneath the skin. Bruises develop when the body is not able to form a blood clot fast enough to stop the blood from accumulating under the skin. The development of bruises in a healthy individual is normal when they are the result of trauma to the affected area of the body. However, individuals with certain abnormalities in their blood can experience excessive bruising because the clotting mechanism in their body does not work properly. A babesiosis patient can develop problems with the function of their kidneys and liver due to having an overwhelming workload. When the kidneys or liver are unable to do their job, it can cause imbalances and abnormalities in the blood. These abnormalities in the blood cause problems with the individual's clotting components like certain clotting proteins and platelets. A reduced clotting ability will make patients more susceptible to developing bruises upon minimal impact.

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Changes In Mood

Babesiosis occurs when the Babesia microti invade an individual's bloodstream and start ravishing their red blood cells. An individual can remain asymptomatic for several months to several years before they experience preclinical features of the disease. When symptoms do manifest, they are malaria-like and may persist for several weeks. In advanced forms of babesiosis, the Babesia microti cause numerous hematological abnormalities and make their way to the brain tissues. The most common areas of the brain the parasite affects are the prefrontal cortex and the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus controls the release of a hormone referred to as oxytocin, which is what determines an individual's emotional state, boosting the mood when it is released. The parasitic invasion of the Babesia microti in the hypothalamus causes abnormal and extreme fluctuations in the release of oxytocin. It is the affects of the hematological abnormalities and the direct invasion of the parasite in the brain tissues that cause a babesiosis patient to experience extreme changes in mood.

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