Data and Statistics on Babesiosis

At a glance

Babesiosis is a disease caused by microscopic parasites that infect red blood cells. Many different species (types) of Babesia parasites have been found in animals, only a few of which have been found in people. Babesia microti—which usually infects white-footed mice and other small mammals—is the main species that has been found in people in the United States. Occasional cases caused by other Babesia species have been detected.

Adult blacklegged tick

Babesiosis Case Report Form

Number and incidence of reported cases of Babesiosis

Number and incidence of reported cases of babesiosis, by state and year, 2014–2020*

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

State

No.

Rate

No.

Rate

No.

Rate

No.

Rate

No.

Rate

No.

Rate

No.

Rate

Alabama

1

<0.1

2

<0.1

0

0.0

1

<0.1

0

0

0

0

 0

 0

Alaska§

Arizona

0

0

0

0

0

0

Arkansas

0

0.0

1

<0.1

0

0.0

2

<0.1

1

<0.1

0

0

California

3

<0.1

5

<0.1

3

<0.1

4

<0.1

6

<0.1

2

<0.1

1

<0.1

Colorado§

Connecticut

205

5.7

328

9.1

322

9.0

309

8.6

248

6.9

323

9.0

151

4.2

Delaware

1

0.1

1

0.1

2

0.2

4

0.4

3

0.3

3

0.3

4.0

0.4

District of
Columbia

2

0.3

0

0.0

0

0

Florida

9

<0.1

19

<0.1

24

<0.1

2

<0.1

Georgia

0

0

1

<0.1

0

0

Hawaii§

Idaho§

Illinois

1

<0.1

3

<0.1

2

<0.1

0

0.0

1

<0.1

1

<0.1

5

<0.1

Indiana

0

0.0

0

0.0

0

0.0

1

<0.1

1

<0.1

0

0.00

1

<0.1

Iowa

2

0.1

0

0

0 0

1

<0.1

Kansas

0

0

0

0

0

0

Kentucky

0

0.0

0

0.0

0

0.0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Louisiana

0

0.0

1

<0.1

0

0.0

1

<0.1

1

<0.1

0

0

0

<0.1

Maine

42

3.2

55

4.1

82

6.2

118

8.8

101

7.5

138

10.3

66

4.8

Maryland

2

<0.1

4

0.1

6

0.1

5

<0.1

7

0.1

7

0.1

9

<0.1

Massachusetts

535

7.9

444

6.

517

7.6

591

8.6

527

7.6

636

9.2

580

8.3

Michigan

2

<0.1

3

<0.1

2

<0.1

3

<0.1

1

<0.1

1

<0.1

0

0

Minnesota

49

0.9

45

0.8

50

0.9

60

1.1

49

0.9

55

1.0

Mississippi§

Missouri

1

<0.1

0

0.0

0

0

1

<0.1

0

0

Montana

0

0.0

0

0.0

1

0.1

0

0.0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Nebraska

0

0.0

0

0.0

1

0.1

0

0.0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Nevada§

New Hampshire§

42

3.2

53

4.0

13

1.0

78

5.8

37

2.7

63

4.6

28

2.0

New Jersey

159

1.8

281

3.1

174

1.9

193

2.1

247

2.8

236

2.6

237

2.6

New Mexico§

New York

471

2.4

581

2.9

430

2.2

696

3.5

641

3.3

663

3.4

461

2.3

North Carolina§

North Dakota

0

0.0

3

0.4

1

0.1

0

0.0

1

0.1

0

0.0

0

0.0

Ohio

1

<0.1

2

<0.1

1

<0.1

4

<0.1

4

<0.1

1

<0.1

Oklahoma§

Oregon

1

<0.1

2

<0.1

2

<0.1

5

0.1

2

<0.1

2

<0.1

4

0.1

Pennsylvania§

Rhode Island

172

16.3

190

18.0

155

14.7

161

15.2

165

15.6

158

14.9

193

17.6

South Carolina

3

0.1

2

<0.1

2

<0.1

2

<0.1

1

<0.1

0

0

0

0

South Dakota

1

0.1

0

0.0

0

0.0

0

0.0

0

0

0

0

1

<0.1

Tennessee

0

0.0

1

<0.1

1

<0.1

1

<0.1

1

<0.1

1

<0.1

1

<0.1

Texas

1

<0.1

1

<0.1

1

<0.1

0

0.0

2

<0.1

2

<0.1

3

<0.1

Utah

0

0.0

0

0.0

0

0.0

1

<0.1

1

<0.1

0

0

0

0

Vermont

3

0.5

9

1.4

15

2.4

22

3.5

21

3.4

34

5.4

16

2.5

Virginia

0

0.0

5

<0.1

1

<0.1

3

<0.1

Washington

4

0.1

2

<0.1

0

0.0

1

<0.1

0

0

1

<0.1

0

0

West Virginia

0

0.0

0

0.0

0

0.0

1

0.1

1

<0.1

0

<0.1

0

0

Wisconsin

43

0.7

56

1.0

68

1.2

88

1.5

64

1.1

58

1.0

57

1.0

Wyoming

0

0.0

0

0.0

0

0.0

0

0.0

0

0

0

0

1

<0.1

Total¶#

1,742

0.8

2,074

0.9

1,909

0.8

2,358

0.9

2,161

0.77

2,418

0.86

1,827

0.65