In the 'Past Medical Procedures' section of our in-depth questionnaire we ask the following question about having had a splenectomy:
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Has your spleen been removed?
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Your answer |
...indicates |
...and suggests |
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"Don't know" |
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| 2. |
"No" |
Having an intact spleen |
A pre-existing condition |
| 3. |
"Yes, to treat a separate medical condition" |
Having had a splenectomy |
A pre-existing condition |
| 4. |
"Yes, because it was damaged by injury" |
Having had a splenectomy |
A pre-existing condition |
| 5. |
"Yes, because of malignacy" |
Having had a splenectomy |
A pre-existing condition |
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Your answer will affect the likelihoods of the conditions below.
Any answers in green reduce the likelihood of the condition.
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| Answers |
Condition |
Comment |
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5 |
Babesiosis |
In Europe, reported fatal cases of babesiosis have occurred mostly in patients whose spleens have been removed, rendering them more vulnerable to infection. The offending parasite in these cases have been either B. divergens or B. major, to which humans (with spleens intact) are thought to be naturally resistant. In the U.S., reported fatal cases have occurred in patients both with and without spleens; B. microti may be a more virulent agent to which humans are not naturally resistant. |
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GLOSSARY
Parasite (Parasites, Parasitic, Parasitical)
An organism living in or on another organism.
Spleen (Splenectomy)
The largest organ of the lymphatic system in the body, located between the stomach and the diaphragm (the muscle below the lungs which provides the motion for breathing). It destroys old red blood cells, produces lymphocytes and plasma cells, and stores blood. It also has other as yet unknown functions. A splenectomy is the surgical removal of the spleen.
Last updated: May 10, 2007
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