Semicentennial of Human Babesiosis, Nantucket Island
Joseph Piesman
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
This is an excellent and well-written review article on human babesiosis cases in Nantucket island. Most of my comments are minor points and are described in post-its in the attached PDF file.
Comments for author File: 
Comments.pdf
Author Response
All comments save one have been noted and the appropriate revisions made. The one reference to Carpi et al. WGS study was not appropriate inasmuch as the context was in reference to Nantucket specific parasite genetics and thus this reference was not incorporated.
Reviewer 2 Report
General Comment: This is a written ms. and should be of interest to those interested in babesiosis specifically, and Pathogens in general.
Specific Comments:
Line 4. Comma and space between University and 200
Line 21. Before the Irish and California cases of human babesiosis were reported, a well documented case was reported in the former Yugoslavia (Skrabalo and Deanovic, 1957). I believe this case should be added to the current ms. unless the authors have some reason to discount it.
Line 47. Figure 1. Legend should make clear that Left Panel is of the NE US and the right panel has an arrow pointed to Nantucket Is.
Line 64. Figure 2. Word "Right" should be inserted before "panel".
Line 142. Word "we" should replace "I".
Line 220. Abbreviation "AA/CQ" is not explained until page 15. Should be explained on first usage.
Line 241-2. Babesiosis is most common transfusion hazard associated with protozoa in the US. T. cruzi is probably of greater hazard elsewhere.
Line 341. I don't think the link between age, spleen function, and babesiosis has been explained in detail before this comment on age is mentioned.
Author Response
see attached file
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
