Babesia and Babesiosis in Livestock of Karnataka State, India- An Overview

Accepted: 27/12/2015 Abstract The haemoprotozoan disease, babesiosis is caused by six species of Babesia in livestock of Karnataka state. They are B. bigemina and B. bovis in cattle and buffaloes, B. motasi in sheep and goats, B. ovis in sheep and B. canis and B. gibsoni in dogs. The morphology of the first three species was elucidated. The incidence of B. bigemina varied from 0.60 to 16.0% in cattle and from 0% to 4.7% in buffaloes, higher in calves than in adult cattle. The infection was noticed even in neonatal calf of 20 days. The IgM antibodies played a major role for agglutination of infected erythrocytes which occlude the minute brain capillaries resulting in cerebral babesiosis. ELISA kit developed for B. bigemina served to detect carrier status of this infection. Anaemia with jaundice was found common to severe babesial infection, but haemoglobiuria might not be present in all the clinical cases. The other bovine species of Babesia, B. bovis was very rarely seen and its developmental pattern in cattle was described. Outbreak of B. motasi in sheep and goats with heavy mortality was recorded. Berenil (diminazene diaceturate) was the common drug used for treating babesiosis and was found to be quite effective.