Babesia Microti Infections, Article Critique Example

The obvious objective of this study as outlined by authors is linked to augmenting details regarding the transmission ofBabesia Microti parasite. According to themBabesia Microti parasite causes symptoms similar to Malaria and is a new development in parasitic studies. It is prevalent during the months of May and October and was first discovered in Boston Massachusetts. A 70 year old man was recorded as the first victim sometime early in 2000 when the condition was not documented neither fully researched.

A descriptive analysis of the disease and causative organism was explained in the article. A life cycle was outlined, but it was not done from a research analysis perspective. The authors presented the life cycle as secondaryinformation from another study. The research design was not explicit since the writer merely offered information regarding the onset of this disease and the epidemiological significance in United States Of America.

For a research design to be explicit it must offer the reader a clear understanding as to whether the study was qualitative or quantitative. It ought to explain the population and the type of sample retrieved from that population. Qualitative methods revolve around explaining   why and how decisions are made. They go beyond merely explaining what, where and when. As such, it is likely that these researchers utilized elements of qualitative analysis, but did not apply the appropriate methodology (Denzin & Lincoln, 2005). Quantitative research methods involve statistics and there are no significant statistical interpretations in this article.  Statistics took the form of evaluating the emergence of Babesia Microti Infections from the onset to present time.

The reader is then left to speculate that this was just an article offering scientific information on the topic.

When the methodology is examined there seems to be a pattern, which is inconsistent with scientific research practices. Methodology should set out specific guidelines for solving a problem and measuring the purpose. It explores specific variables enclosed in phases, tasks, methods, techniques and tools.  A scientific research  methodology can be defined as  the analysis of  principles, methods, rules, and postulates employed by a discipline; the systematic study of methods that are, can be, or have been applied within a discipline (Creswell, 2003).

There was no problem identified to be solved from a research methodology perspective. No variables were mentioned informing the study, tools, procedures for data collection neither analysis. The authors just kept pouring out information regarding transmission of Babesia Microti Infections. There is no doubt that the information is valuable and can be considered scientifically significant. However, the scientists did not adapt scientific research methods in explaining their case.

When considering data analysis the reader would observe that there was no evidence that data was retrieved from prior studies to conclude that the article can be perceived as a review of literature. Data analysis is a process of inspecting data retrieved from a research. Beforehand researchers must design the method of analysis. In qualitative studies a comparative explanatory analysis is usually undertaken.

Quantitative studies apply statistical measurements in a mixed approach of explanatory qualitative approach. Further arguments for the data analysis portion of this article advance that data collection is the process of collecting information for a project using appropriate instruments. There are three stages contained in  data collection activity; pre collection whereby goals, target data, definitions, methods are agreed upon; then the actual data collection procedures and presentation of findings. The first stage could not be clearly identified in this research study (Creswell, 2003).There is no supporting proof defining this article within any of those parameters,

However, this article has many strengths, which are not from a research methodological perspective. It explains a scientific phenomenon from an historical premise. The emergence of the disease is well discussed at a level for anyone with limited scientific knowledge to understand the impact of Babesia Microti infections on the American health care system.

Blood diagnostic values were quoted showing the effects of this parasite on the human body and misconceptions, which had to be clarified as scientific studies continued through laboratory testing. For example, the researchers contend that it was previously posited that B. microti was not transmitted horizontally except through direct exposure to infected blood. Also individuals were infected only when they came in contact with extreme amounts of viable extracellular parasite through erythrocyte (Babesia Microti, 2012)

However, by 2002 a mother to child case of vertical transmission was reported in Yorktown Heights, New York.  Reports are that the baby was delivered from an asymptomatic mother and appeared quitehealth. Later the infant developed high fever, irritability, and decreased food intake due to poor appetite. Further investigation proved that either mother orbaby was never transfused, but had contracted the parasite. This was a very informative detail contained in this article, which made it rather valuable to the public.

Works cited

Babesia Microti Infections in Rhode Island: CDC. 2012. Print

Denzin, K., & Lincoln, Y. (Eds.). The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Research (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. 2005 Print

Creswell, J.  Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. Thousand Oaks, Sage Publications.  California. 2003. Print