Some experts report that it is effectively treated for a minimum course of five to seven days. Unfortunately, it does not respond to most of the antibiotics commonly used for Lyme disease, including ampicillin, ceftriaxone, erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, and azithromycin. The tick that carries Lyme disease and ehrlichiosis also can carry babesiosis, a microorganism called a protozoa. It has been reported in Nantucket Island, Massachusetts and in New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Georgia, California, and Washington. Symptoms and Outlook of Babesiosis Symptoms of babesiosis occur one to four weeks after a tick bite and are similar to those of malaria.
Most cases are very mild and nearly unrecognizable.
Symptoms include headache, fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, and muscle aches. Outlook and Complications of Ehrlichiosis In healthy people, babesiosis generally causes only mild and temporary problems, but research indicates that the infection might persist in some people and is spreading faster than previously reported. In rare cases, it can be severe and even life-threatening, particularly in elderly people or those with compromised immune systems. In such cases, the infection can cause altered mental states, anemia and other blood abnormalities, very low blood pressure, respiratory distress, and kidney insufficiency. Treatment of Babesiosis Babesiosis is a protozoan, not a bacteria.