Todayโs path rounds are on ๐๐๐๐๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
๐๐๐๐๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ is an infection with the protozoa ๐๐๐๐๐ฌ๐ข๐, which infects blood cells. There are over 100 species of Babesia!
๐๐ก๐จ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
Pretty much every species of animal can be infected by Babesia. Even humans can be affected!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
Babesia species are transmitted by ticks. The tick feeds on an infected animal, and takes up the parasite in the blood meal. The parasite grows within the tick, and eventually is transmitted to another animal when the tick feeds again.
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ?
Babesia infects red blood cells, causing the immune system to attack them to try and clear the infection. Ultimately, this leads to ๐๐ง๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ (low red blood cells), ๐ฃ๐๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ข๐๐ (yellowing of the tissue) and symptoms such as lethargy, weakness and fever.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ฌ๐๐?
The easiest method of diagnosis is looking at blood smear under the microscope, which allows for identification of the parasites. Most of the time they are found within the red blood cells, but occasionally you can see them within white blood cells as the body tries to clear the infection.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐? ๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐?
There are drugs available that target the parasite for treatment, however the availability of treatment for livestock species depends on the location. Prevention focuses on tick control, to prevent infected ticks from feeding on animals. Some countries also have vaccines available for babesiosis as well.
๐๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ฌ
1-4) Babesia parasites within blood cells.
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ
Carter PD, Rolls P. Babesiosis in Animals. Merck Veterinary Manual 2022.
Photos 1-3 ยฉ Cells and Smears Veterinary Clinical Pathology Digital Database.
Photo 4 ยฉ Noahโs Arkive contributor French licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
