Failure of an Approximately Six Week Course of Tafenoquine to Completely Eradicate <i>Babesia microti</i> Infection in an Immunocompromised Patient

Abstract

Although tafenoquine was highly effective for eliminating microscopically detectable parasitemia in mouse models of Babesia microti infection, all of the mice which were assessed developed a relapse of infection, except for those which had been treated concomitantly with artesunate. We report an immunocompromised patient with a similar relapse of parasitemia despite a 46-day course of tafenoquine treatment. More data on whether a longer duration of tafenoquine treatment or using a higher maintenance dose, versus adding a second drug to the regimen, will prevent relapse when tafenoquine is used to treat a highly immunocompromised patient with babesiosis should be investigated.

Keywords

• tafenoquine
• babesiosis
• <i>Babesia microti</i>
• neutropenia
• leukopenia