Jordan Hospital Participating in Clinical Study for Tick-Borne Blood Disease

has announced its participation in an FDA-approved clinical study testing blood supplies for evidence of a tick-borne organism that can lead to babesiosis, an infectious disease transmitted to humans by the bite of a deer tick. 

Incidents of babesiosis are high in coastal areas south of Boston and on Cape Cod and the Islands. With no licensed test available to screen blood donations for babesia, the FDA has approved a clinical study of more than 26,000 donors with a goal of reducing the potential for transfusion transmitted babesia infections and improving the overall safety of the blood supply.

Several cases of babesiosis have been identified at Jordan Hospital in the past, and high rates of the disease have generally been found throughout Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York. Most commonly transmitted by the bite of a deer tick, Babesia has also been shown to be transmitted through transfused blood. Approximately 100 cases of transfusion transmitted babesiosis have been reported, some of which have been fatal.     

“An incredible amount of basic research has already been completed, but approval from the FDA for a clinical study of this size is an important step towards developing an efficient, real-time and easily available test for babesiosis,” Dr. Philip Molloy said. Molloy is a clinician in the department of medicine at Jordan Hospital and medical director at Imugen, Inc.—the company leading the study in conjunction with national and regional blood donor centers. 

“There is obviously a lot of interest in Lyme disease, and while babesiosis may currently be less common, it is particularly prevalent in this region and can be even more dangerous in some patients.”

Jordan Hospital is the only community hospital with this participating role in this research. Jordan Hospital’s Institutional Review Board has approved the collection of samples from patients diagnosed with early Babesia infections, to learn more about the natural history of this infection and to refine and improve blood testing for it. Signs of babesiosis can include fever, chills, headaches and fatigue and may be similar to Lyme disease. But unlike Lyme disease, babesiosis is not typically associated with skin rashes. 

“It’s important to be able to include the Jordan Hospital community in the clinical phase of this study,” Molloy added. “We are hopeful that our efforts to raise awareness about and improve blood testing for Babesia infections will ultimately result in a licensed test being made available for blood donations in the future.”