LOCK HAVEN, Pa. — June 23rd is a date etched in Kelly Brown’s memory. It was when her daughter, Brittany, noticed that her mother was struggling with basic tasks at home in Allison Township. That prompted Brittany to take her mother to the hospital.
“They conducted all the tests we asked for, yet no one considered ticks, which isn’t standard practice,” Kelly shared.
After receiving her test results, Brown went home but began to notice she was losing blood gradually. A week later, her condition worsened, leading her back to the ER, where she was sent home once again.
Two weeks later, Brittany took her to Geisinger near Danville, where they consulted the Hematology Department. The next day, the doctors diagnosed her with babesiosis, a parasitic infection from ticks that infects red blood cells.
“Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout your body, and if the infection is severe, it can lead to anemia, meaning your blood counts drop too low,” explained Dr. Stanley Martin, Geisinger’s Director of Infectious Diseases.
Babesiosis is contracted from a tick bite during the nymph stage.
“They started my treatment with antibiotics, and, given it was a parasitic issue, they also prescribed medication typically used for malaria,” Brown recounted.
After spending a few days in the hospital and needing a blood transfusion due to low hemoglobin levels, she noticed improvements as the medications began to work, and she was finally discharged late last week.
Interestingly, Brown is uncertain about how she got the tick bite since she doesn’t usually spend a lot of time outdoors.
Dr. Martin advised that taking precautions against ticks is essential. Measures include using repellent, wearing long sleeves and pants, and checking for ticks after being outside. “If you’re really worried, it’s a good idea to take off your clothes and wash them immediately to eliminate any ticks, or even shower to ensure you’re removing any that might be clinging on,” he suggested.
Brown expressed her gratitude not just to the medical staff at Geisinger but also to blood donors, stating, “They really helped me, probably saved my life. I’m not sure how many people donate blood, but it’s incredibly important.”
