These days, cases of a tick-borne disease are coming up rapidly in America. This disease, which affects the brain, has increased the concerns of everyone. Recently, cases of tick-borne wetland virus were also reported in China, which affects the brain of a person. On the other hand, if we talk about America, then the outbreak of Babesiosis is increasing rapidly here. This is a rare disease, which mainly spreads due to the bite of black-legged ticks. Let us know what this disease is and its symptoms-

What is Babesiosis?

According to the Cleveland Clinic, Babesiosis is a disease that is transmitted by the bite of a tick infected with the parasite Babesia. This disease causes flu-like symptoms and can cause serious illness. If you have a weakened immune system or a malfunctioning spleen, you are at a higher risk of contracting this life-threatening disease.

What are the symptoms of babesiosis?

The symptoms of babesiosis begin one to four weeks after exposure. They include:

• High fever
• Exhaustion
• Feeling cold
• Sweating
• Headache
• muscle or joint pain
• loss of appetite
• Cough
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Symptoms of Severe Babesosis

Some additional symptoms may appear in the body due to severe babesiosis, which include the following:-

• nausea and vomiting
• dark urine
• Stomach ache
• stiff neck
• mood swings
• Shortness of breath (dyspnea)
• Yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice)
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Causes of Babesiosis?

Several types of Babesia parasites cause babesiosis. Babesia are protozoa, single-celled organisms that are hard to see without a microscope. They enter your bloodstream through a tick bite and then infect and destroy your red blood cells. In severe cases, the infection can be fatal.

How to prevent Babesiosis

If you live or are traveling in an area where this disease is prevalent, then it is important to prevent tick bites to avoid it. For this, you can keep the following things in mind-

• Keep the grass cut shorter than 5 inches. Ticks live in tall grass and can bite you if they come into contact with it.
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• When going into forest areas, walk only on cleared paths.
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• Use a bug spray with DEET to keep ticks away.
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• When you are in the woods or areas with tall grass, cover as much of your skin as possible. You can also use tick-repellant.
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• Learn the right ways to protect your pets from ticks.
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• Check your pet frequently upon returning from outside.
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• If you're outdoors during the warmer months, check yourself for ticks. If you find a tick on yourself, follow the instructions for removing it safely.