FDA Approves Blood Screening for Babesiosis To Prevent Transfer of Disease

abesiosis is an infection that comes from the parasite, Babesia microti, and is transmitted by the deer tick. 1000-2000 cases are reported every year but many more cases go undiagnosed due to lack of symptoms. Because Babesiosis can be transmitted through blood or its components, the lack of diagnosis can cause harm to the health system. That is about to change.

A company called Oxford Immunotec is the owner of two tests that can identify the tick-borne disease, Babesiosis. One can spot antibodies for the infection in human plasma and the other can test for Babesia microti DNA in human blood. The FDA has now approved these testing methods.

According to an article on FierceBiotech.com, before the approval, Oxford Immunotec was testing “donor blood” and able to pull infected blood in some areas where the disease was endemic. “While babesiosis is both preventable and treatable, until today, there was no way to screen for infections amongst blood donors,” Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in a statement. This approval will open up testing into larger areas and for other tick-borne illnesses. These tests will become an invaluable tool to blood banks for years to come.

Mosquito Squad of Fall River is dedicated to keeping our customers informed about the facts that surround tick-borne illnesses and we are thrilled to share breakthroughs like these. The ability to test for one disease is sure to lead to testing for others including Lyme. Continue to follow our website and blog for information about future scientific discoveries. Prevention is still the best protection from tick-borne diseases. Call us today about our solutions for protection from ticks and mosquitoes at home.