Babesiosis - Horse

Also known as: Equine Piroplasmosis and Biliary fever

Description

Equine babesiosis is a tick-borne protozoal infection of donkeys, mules, horses and zebra characterised by acute haemolytic anaemia. The disease is caused by the intraerythrocytic protozoa Theileria equi (formerly Babesia equi) and Babesia caballi and is transmitted primarly by ixodid ticks. Equine babesiosis is endemic in most tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world where tick vectors are present. It is associated with high economic losses relating to treatment costs, loss of performance, abortion and death.

Aetiology and Pathogenesis

B. caballi and T. equi are transmitted by ticks, which become infected when they ingest parasites in the blood of infected horses. Infected adult ticks host several cycles of replication of Babesia spp and final maturation of the parasite occurs when the tick attaches to a new host. Approximately 15 species of ticks in the genera Dermacentor, Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus can be vectors for these organisms. B. equi can also be transmitted by Boophilus microplus.

References

• Sellon, D. C., Long, M. T. (2007) Equine Infectious Diseases Elsevier Health Sciences