Babesia Microti – Known and Unknown Protists

B. microti is known as the main etiological agent of human babesiosis and there are some case studies for that disease, highlighting the fact that this is an important “emerging tick-borne disease”. However a lot of information about this protist is unclear. The reactions in the liver are noticeable already after the fi rst three weeks of infection. This therefore provides the basis for discussion of the effect of B. microti contact with hepatocytes in vitro and in vivo. This issue is an essential objective of our study. The effect of B. microti on the liver as an organ and the individual hepatocytes is evident. This may be an indirect impact, through the various factors of metabolic pathways. Ultrastructural studies of breeding co-culture of hepatocytes and B. microti has shown, however, that piroplasms B. microti are adhering to the outer surface of the hepatocytes. This contact is associated with destructive changes in hepatocytes both necrotic and apoptotic. Research Article Babesia Microti – Known and Unknown Protists Marta Albertyńska1, Weronika Rupik2*, Mateusz Hermyt2, Hubert Okła3 and Krzysztof Piotr Jasik1* 1Department of Skin Structural Studies, School of Pharmacy with the Division of Laboratory Medicine in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland 2Department of Animal Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland 3Institute of Materials Science, Faculty of Computer Science and Materials Science, University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland Dates: Received: 29 December, 2016; Accepted: 1 February, 2017; Published: 2 February, 2017 *Corresponding author: Weronika Rupik, Assistant Professor, Department of Animal Histology and Embryology, University of Silesia in Katowice, 9 Bankowa Street, 40-007, Katowice, Poland, E-mail: Krzysztof Jasik, Associate professor, Head of Department, Department of Skin Structural Studies, School of Pharmacy with the Division of Laboratory Medicine in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, 3 Kasztanowa Street, 41-200, Sosnowiec, Poland, E-mail: https://www.peertechz.com