ArticlePLoS neglected tropical diseases2023
The impact of ABO and RhD blood types on Babesia microti infection.
Article in PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed.
- A case-control study of blood group antigen expression in Babesia microti infected patients in the United States.Transfusion · 2026Article
- Babesiosis and Its Significance in Transfusion Medicine from a European Point of View.Transfusion medicine and hemotherapy : offizielles Organ der Deutschen Gesellschaft fur Transfusionsmedizin und Immunhamatologie · 2026Review
- Infective Endocarditis and Excessive Use of B- Blood Type Due to Surgical Treatment-Is It Only a Local Problem? LODZ-ENDO Results (2015-2025).Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
- Babesiosis and Malaria in the United States: Epidemiology, Research Funding, Medical Progress, & Recommendations for Improvement.Epidemiologia (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Prevalence and Association of Malaria With ABO Blood Groups in Bosaso City, Puntland, Somalia: A Cross-Sectional Study.Health science reports · 2025Article
- Trends of Toxoplasma gondii and common transfusable venereal infections among blood donors in Menoufia Province, Egypt.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- DoTropical medicine and infectious disease · 2024Article
- Article
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6 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundBabesiosis is an emerging infectious disease caused by intraerythrocytic Babesia parasites that can cause severe disease and death. While blood type is known to affect the mortality of Plasmodium falciparum malaria patients, associations between red blood cell (RBC) antigens and Babesia microti infection and disease severity are lacking.
methodsWe evaluated RhD and ABO blood types of Babesia-infected (18S rRNA reactive) blood donors in 10 endemic states in the Northeastern and northern Midwestern United States. We also assessed possible associations between RhD and ABO blood types and disease severity among hospitalized babesiosis patients in Connecticut.
resultsA total of 768 Babesia-infected blood donors were analyzed, of which 750 (97.7%) had detectable B. microti-specific antibodies. B. microti-infected blood donors were more likely to be RhD- (OR of 1.22, p-value 0.024) than RhD+ donors. Hospitalized RhD- babesiosis patients were more likely than RhD+ patients to have high peak parasitemia (p-value 0.017), which is a marker for disease severity. No differences in RhD+ blood type were noted between residents of the Northeast (OR of 0.82, p-value 0.033) and the Midwest (OR of 0.74, p-value 0.23). Overall, ABO blood type was not associated with blood donor B. microti infection, however, B. microti-infected donors in Maine and New Jersey were more likely to be blood type B compared to non-type B (OR 2.49 [p = 0.008] and 2.07 [p = 0.009], respectively), while infected donors from Pennsylvania were less likely to be type B compared to non-type B (OR 0.32 [p = 0.02]).
conclusionsPeople expressing RhD antigen may have a decreased risk of B. microti infection and babesiosis severity. The association of B antigen with B. microti infection is less clear because the antigen appeared to be less prevalent in infected Pennsylvania blood donors but more prevalent in Maine and New Jersey infected donors. Future studies should quantify associations between B. microti genotypes, RBC antigens, and the frequency and severity of B. microti infection to increase our understanding of human Babesia pathogenesis and improve antibody, vaccine, and RBC exchange transfusion strategies.
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