Babesia hosts and vector specificity


Transport of domestic animals across the world has introduced babesiosis as well as the vectors of the disease into new areas and worlds such as in Australia.

The greatest economic losses are now encountered in Southern Hemisphere







Vectors of Babesiosis are ticks (hard ticks or Ixodidae)

Tick Vector

Nature of vector

Boophilus

one-host tick

Rhipicephalus

two-host tick

Haemaphysalus
Ixodes

three-host tick



Most Babesia species have a rigid host specificity and do not infect more than one host
except for:

Babesia species

Way of infection

Host

B. microti

naturally infect

rodents
humans

B. divergens

naturally infect

artificially infect

rodents

insectivores
monkeys
humans (spleen-ectomised)


Babesiosis as been uncommonly reported in pets in the USA. It is characterized primarily by anemia and fever. The condition is diagnosed by finding the organisms parasitizing blood cells or by
finding high levels of circulating antibodies in the bloodstream. The species that affect dogs and cats are not the same ones that affect people.

Back to the table of contents

Continue

Last updated: 1 January 1999.

created by :Fred Opperdoes