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Surgical infections · Dec 2009
Review Case ReportsBabesiosis in the immediate postoperative period after splenectomy for trauma.
- Marcus E Semel, Ali Tavakkolizadeh, and Jonathan D Gates.
- Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. msemel1@partners.org
- Surg Infect (Larchmt). 2009 Dec 1;10(6):553-6.
BackgroundIn an immunocompetent host, Babesia microti has not been reported as a cause of postoperative fever.MethodsCase report and literature review.ResultsA 52-year-old woman living on Martha's Vineyard developed postoperative fever after splenectomy for trauma. The patient's mechanism of injury was a fall from a stationary bicycle. Intraoperatively, the patient was noted to have splenomegaly. Postoperatively, she developed fever and was found to have Babesia microti on blood smear with an otherwise negative fever evaluation. She was treated with atovaquone and azithromycin and made a full recovery.ConclusionsFor individuals who have lived or traveled in endemic areas, babesiosis should be considered as a possible cause of postoperative fever when other sources have been excluded. Patients undergoing splenectomy in an endemic area should be screened for babesiosis to prevent postoperative recrudescence of symptoms.
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