Characteristics, immunological events, and diagnostics of Babesia spp. infection, with emphasis on Babesia canis

Abstract

Vector-borne infection constitutes a significant health issue in dogs worldwide. Recent reports point to an increasing number of canine vector-borne disease cases in European countries, including Poland. Canine babesiosis caused by various Babesia species is a protozoal tick-borne disease with worldwide distribution and significant veterinary importance. The development and application of molecular methods have increased our knowledge about canine babesiosis, its prevalence, and clinical and pathological aspects of the infection. Parasitologists and veterinary surgeons need an accurate description of the species responsible for canine babesiosis to improve diagnostic and therapeutic methods, as well as predictions for the course of the disease. Therefore, we decided to summarise recent knowledge concerning Babesia species and B. canis.

The CRISPR/Cas9 system sheds new lights on the biology of protozoan parasites

“…These methods will ameliorate the functional analysis of parasite genes which enables the effective engineering of their genomes. What is more, the development of an inducible system allowing the targeting of essential genes is highly significant and urgent (Kostro et al 2015 ). It is now entirely credible to assert that protozoa parasites have joined the CRISPR/Cas9-based technologies and there is hope that this system will be applied in other parasitic species (Table 1 ), such as Giardia intestinalis , Eimeria spp.…”

The First Records of Canine Babesiosis in Dogs from Dermacentor reticulatus—Free Zone in Poland

“…The clinical manifestations of acute clinical symptoms include lethargy, weakness, apathy, elevated temperature, dehydration, anorexia, icterus, splenomegaly, color change in mucous membranes and urine, hemoglobinuria, renal failure, vomiting, diarrhea, and tachycardia. A complete blood count usually presents many abnormalities, such as hemolytic Pathogens 2022, 11, 1329 2 of 10 anemia, leucopenia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and lymphopenia [11,18]. Babesia infection is diagnosed by microscopic examination of May-Grünwald-Giemsa or Diff-Quick stained peripheral blood smears, with the finding of large pyriform parasites within the infected erythrocytes.…”