Paddy Ssentongo, an infectious disease fellow at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, is working to better understand tick-borne babesiosis, a condition often referred to as "American malaria." Despite upticks in infections, Ssentongo said, his work was limited by the lack of real-world data on co-infections and mortality outcomes in large, diverse populations.
"Babesiosis can mimic many other infections, making diagnosis and treatment challenging," Ssentongo said. "The parasite infects and multiplies within red blood cells, causing their lysis, or breaking apart, which can result in severe anemia and end-organ damage. Because its symptoms overlap with other febrile illnesses, a high degree of clinical suspicion is required. If left untreated, babesiosis can be life-threatening. Treatment strategies also vary depending on the severity of the disease, underscoring the importance of accurate and timely diagnosis. That's why continued research is essential."
According to Ssentongo, he was able to conduct babesiosis research thanks to support from Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI). The institute, of which Ssentongo is an affiliate, provides access to a number of externally managed data platforms, including one called TriNetX. It's a global platform with a network of academic institutions, pharmaceutical companies and more than a hundred health care organizations across 30 countries that aims to facilitate collaborations across health care stakeholders. Members share their data and, in exchange, can access a wide array of de-identified clinical data from others and employ analytical tools to determine potential connections, as well as connect with other members for possible collaborations.
