Erythema figuratum in septic babesiosis

Abstract

Babesiosis is a rare worldwide-distributed protozoal zoonosis caused by a haemoprotozoan of the genus Babesia, transmitted through bites of tick of the genus Ixodes. The first demonstrated case of human babesiosis in the world was discovered in Europe, in 1957. However, most of the cases were reported later in the north-east of the United States where Babesia microti has been the cause of over 300 cases of human babesiosis since 1969. In Europe, the most severe cases are observed in asplenic patients infected by a parasite of cattle, the Babesia divergens. Only two cases of babesiosis have been reported in Spain. We present a case of erythema figuratum associated to septic babesiosis in a non-splenectomized man, which is currently the third case of babesiosis in Spain. © 2006 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.