Test Summary

This test is for the detection of IgG and IgM antibodies against Babesia microti to aid in the diagnosis of Babesiosis. Babesiosis is a tickborne disease caused by transmission of the protozoa via the bite of an infected tick. B. microti is most common in the northern and upper Midwestern United States. Testing for B. microti is based on a clinical evaluation and risk of tick exposure with consideration to the geographic region. Symptoms may be nonspecific, including headache, fever/chills, malaise, myalgia, and gastrointestinal symptoms. Infection can have similarities with other tickborne illnesses with overlapping vectors, geographic endemicity, and similar clinical signs and symptoms, including Anaplasma spp, Ehrlichia spp, and Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease). Negative results can occur early in infection. Nucleic acid amplification tests are the preferred method for diagnosis during acute infection. Seroconversion or a four-fold increase between acute and convalescent sera can be used to support a diagnosis. The presence of IgG alone may indicate past infection, and IgM may persist for many months after infection has resolved. Antibody levels may remain elevated for several years after acute illness. Other less common Babesia species in different geographic regions have been identified to infect humans, such as B. duncani and B. divergens. The extent of cross-reactivity between Babesia species is variable and may not be detected by this assay. Therefore, interpretation of serologic results is done in the context of pertinent clinical picture, including timing from symptom onset.

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