Human babesiosis in a splenectomized patient

A case of human babesiosis in a 34-year-old male patient with previous splenectomy is reported. This is the first description of babesiosis in a splenectomized patient in Spain, The clinical picture was mainly characterized by the presence of fever and hemolysis. The findings of a reactive hemophagocytic syndrome and lymph node enlargement, the description of which is exception in this entity are of note. The therapeutic aspects are reported emphasizing the good response to treatment with clindamycin and quinine sulphate which is unusual in the splenectomized cases reported in Europe. The diagnostic tods as well as the epidemiologic implications of the description of this zoonosis in Spain are discussed.