Babesia

Epidemiology

Infects a wide range of host species in different areas of the world

Babesiosis has severe effects on cattle production in parts of the world. First of all, it prevents European breeds from being successful in tropical regions where ticks are endemic as well as occurring sporadically in the UK and Ireland causing losses of around £8 million per year.

Life Cycle

Both trans-stadial and trans-ovarian transmission occurs with each female tick producing 3000 eggs and the tick being the definitive host.

Babesia multiplies in the red blood cells by budding and it forms 2-4 daughter cells (species dependent). Giemsa blood smears can differentiate between species using 'Difquik' stain.

Babesia species are either small or large depending on the size of the daughter cells

Small Babesia
- E.g. B. divergens
- E.g. B. gibsoni
- Peripheral nucleus
- Obtuse angle

Large Babesia
- E.g. B. major
- E.g. B. canis-complex
- Central nucleus
- Acute angle

Daughter cells disrupt the red blood cell and are released
- Spread and infect other red blood cells

Antigen is released which adsorbs onto other red blood cells
- Causes haemolysis and haemoglobin pigmentation
- Causes haemolytic anaemia, haemoglobinuria and fever