PCR-based detection of Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina in their natural host Boophilus microplus and cattle

Abstract

PCR and nested-PCR methods were used to assess the frequency of Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina infection in Boophilus microplus engorged females and eggs and in cattle reared in an area with endemic babesiosis. Blood and the engorged female ticks were from 27 naturally infested calves and 25 crossbred cows. The frequency of both Babesia species was similar in calves and cows (P>0.05). Babesia bovis was detected in 23 (85.2%) calves and in 25 (100%) cows and B. bigemina was detected in 25 (92.6%) calves and in 21 (84%) cows. Mixed infections with the both Babesia species were identified in 42 animals, 21 in each age category. Of female ticks engorged on calves, 34.9% were negative and single species infection with B. bigemina (56.2%) was significantly more frequent (P<0.01) than with B. bovis (4.7%). Most of the females (60.8%) engorged on cows did not show Babesia spp. infection and the frequency of single B. bovis infection (17.6%) was similar (P>0.05) to the frequency of single B. bigemina infection (15.9%). Mixed Babesia infection was lower (P<0.01) than single species infection in female ticks engorged either in cows (5.7%) or in calves (4.3%). An egg sample from each female was analysed for the presence of Babesia species. Of the egg samples from female ticks infected with B. bovis, 26 (47.3%) were infected while from those from female ticks infected with B. bigemina 141 (76.6%) were infected (P<0.01). The results showed that although the frequency of both species of Babesia was similar in calves and cows, the infectivity of B. bigemina was higher to ticks fed on calves while to those ticks fed on cows the infectivity of both Babesia species was similar.

Bovine babesiosis and anaplasmosis complex: diagnosis and evaluation of the risk factors from Bahia, Brazil

“…in the ticks or by molecular detection failure due to low amounts of the pathogen's DNA in the analyzed samples. In fact, transmission of B. bigemina and B. bovis by R. microplus has been confirmed in some reports (SPARAGANO et al, 1999;OLIVEIRA-SEQUEIRA et al, 2005).…”

“…in Italy, who found that 21.6% of the animals were positive by PCR and 6.5% by blood smears. The method of microscopic examination of blood smears has low sensitivity and does not detect positive animals in the early or chronic stages of infection, when the number of circulating parasites is very low (OLIVEIRA-SEQUEIRA et al, 2005), although this procedure is used by veterinarians to monitoring clinical cases (SANTANA et al, 2008).…”

Babesiosis and anaplasmosis in dairy cattle in Northeastern Brazil

“…(B.) microplus (Oliveira-Sequeira et al 2005). PCR and nPCR methods employed in this study have been previously used for research of these diseases in several Brazilian states (Figueroa et al 1993, Oliveira-Sequeira et al 2005, Costa Júnior et al 2006.…”

Medidas de controle do carrapato Rhipicephalus microplus: uma breve revisão

“…259, Art. 1715, Maio, 2014 organolépticos inferiores a de origem taurina e, nas raças não especializadas, baixa aptidão leiteira (BRITO, 2009 (PATARROYO, 1994;SANTOS et al, 1998;RUIZ et al, 2005;OLIVEIRA-SIQUEIRA et al, 2005 LA VEGA et al, 1988;SHORT et al, 1989;HAZARI e MISRA, 1993 (FURLONG, 1993;SANGSTER, 2001;TAYLOR, 2001). A resistência tem se SILVEIRA, W.H., CARVALHO, G.D. e PECONICK, A.P.…”