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| ==''Babesia''== | | ==''Babesia''== |
− | [[Image:Babesia Life Cycle.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Babesia Life Cycle Diagram - Dennis Jacobs & Mark Fox RVC]] | + | [[Image:Babesia Life Cycle.jpg|thumb|right|150px|''Babesia'' Life Cycle Diagram - Dennis Jacobs & Mark Fox RVC]] |
| *Infects a wide range of host species in different areas of the world | | *Infects a wide range of host species in different areas of the world |
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| *The [[Suborder: Metastigmata, ticks|tick]] is the definitive host | | *The [[Suborder: Metastigmata, ticks|tick]] is the definitive host |
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| + | *''Babesia'' multiplies in the red blood cells by '''budding''' |
| + | **Forms 2-4 daughter cells (species dependent) |
| + | **Giemsa blood smears can differentiate between species using 'Diffquik' stain |
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− | * May cause haemolysis and [[General Pathology - Pigmentation and Calcification#Haemoglobin|haemoglobin pigmentation]]. | + | *''Babesia'' species are either small or large depending on the size of the daughter cells |
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| + | *Small ''Babesia'' |
| + | **E.g. ''B. divergens'' |
| + | **E.g. ''B. gibsoni'' |
| + | **Peripheral nucleus |
| + | **Obtuse angle |
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| + | *Large ''Babesia'' |
| + | **E.g. ''B. major'' |
| + | **E.g. ''B. canis-complex'' |
| + | **Central nucleus |
| + | **Acute angle |
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| + | *Daughter cells disrupt the red blood cell and are released |
| + | **Spread and infect other red blood cells |
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| + | *Antigen is released which absorbs onto other red blood cells |
| + | **Causes haemolysis and [[General Pathology - Pigmentation and Calcification#Haemoglobin|haemoglobin pigmentation]] |
| + | **Causes haemolytic anaemia, haemoglobinuria and fever |
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| + | *In cattle: |
| + | **Sudden onset |
| + | **Often fatal if untreated |
| + | **Causes 'pipestem' faeces |
| + | **Clumping of red blood cells in brain capillaries can occur causing neurological signs |
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| '''Epidemiology''' | | '''Epidemiology''' |