Faculty Bibliography

BACKGROUND:Babesiosis is a disease caused by parasites that infect red blood cells; in infants it can be acquired from tick bites, blood transfusions, or congenitally via vertical transmission. It can present with thrombocytopenia, fevers, and parasitemia. CASE REPORT/METHODS:A case of vertically transmitted babesiosis in an infant is described. Thrombocytopenia and parasitemia > 4% developed in this well-appearing infant. The diagnosis was made by history and blood smear in both infant and mother, and the patient recovered fully with oral antibiotics. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Congenital babesiosis has been reported infrequently in the literature and is reviewed here. It is important to consider congenital tick-borne illness in endemic areas as a cause for febrile thrombocytopenia in neonates.

ABSTRACT: The recent Surgeon General's Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding reinforces the important role breastfeeding has in the health of mothers and babies. It identifies the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative as a strategy that encompasses practices that result in better breastfeeding outcomes. Currently there are approximately 20,000 Baby-Friendly hospitals worldwide; however, only 125 of them are in the United States. This number is likely to increase with the renewed focus on breastfeeding. To achieve Baby-Friendly designation, hospitals and birthing centers must successfully implement the Baby-Friendly Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, evidence-based guidelines designed to promote and support breastfeeding in maternity settings. The purpose of this article is to share specific strategies we used to successfully implement each of the Baby-Friendly Ten Steps and improve our support and assistance of breastfeeding mothers and infants.