Bovine babesiosis is a tick-borne disease of cattle caused by the protozoan parasites of the genus Babesia. Babesia bovis, Babesia bigemina and Babesia divergens are considered by International health authorities (OIE) as the principal species of Babesia that cause bovine babesiosis. Animals that recover from a babesial primo infection may remain as persistent carriers with no clinical signs of disease and can be the source of infection for ticks that are able to acquire Babesia parasites from infected cattle and to transmit Babesia parasites to susceptible cattle. Several procedures that have been developed for parasite detection and diagnosis of this infectious carrier state constitute the basis for this review: A brief description of the direct microscopic detection of Babesia-infected erytrocytes; PCR-based diagnostic assays, which are very sensitive particularly in detecting Babesia in carrier cattle; in-vitro culture methods, used to demonstrate presence of carrier infections of Babesia sp.; animal inoculation, particularly for B. divergens isolation are discussed. Alternatively, persistently infected animals can be tested for specific antibabesial antibodies by using indirect serological assays. Serological procedures are not necessarily consistent in identifying persistently infected animals and have the disadvantage of presenting with cross reactions between antibodies to Babesia sp.

The causative agents of Babesiosis are intraerythrocytic protozoa of the genus Babesia. Babesia parasites are present around the world, affecting several mammals including humans, pets and livestock, hence its medical and veterinary relevance. Babesia spp. detection in its invertebrate host is a main point in understanding the biology of the parasite to acquire more knowledge on the host–Babesia–vector interactions, as increasing knowledge of the Babesia lifecycle and babesiosis epidemiology can help prevent babesiosis outbreaks in susceptible mammals. The aim of the present review is to highlight the newest findings in this field, based on a bibliographic compilation of research studies recently carried out for the detection of the main Babesia species found in tick vectors affecting mammalian hosts, including the different tick stages such as adult ticks, larvae, nymphs and eggs, as well as the detection method implemented: microscopic tools for parasite identification and molecular tools for parasite DNA detection by conventional PCR, nested-PCR, PCR-RFLP, PCR-RLB hybridization, real time-PCR, LAMP and RAP assays. Although molecular identification of Babesia parasites has been achieved in several tick species and tissue samples, it is still necessary to carry out transmission experiments through biological models to confirm the vectorial capacity of various tick species.

The instrumentation of the in vitro culture system has allowed researchers to learn more about the metabolic and growth behavior of Babesia spp. The various applications for in vitro cultivation of Babesia include obtaining attenuated strains for vaccination or pre-munition, the selection of pure lines with different degrees of virulence, studies on biological cloning, ultrastructure, antigen production for diagnostics, drug sensitivity assessments, and different aspects of parasite biology. Although there are different types of vaccines that have been tested against bovine babesiosis, so far, the only procedure that has offered favorable results in terms of protection and safety has been the use of live attenuated vaccines. In countries, such as Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Israel, this type of vaccine has been produced and used. The alternative to live vaccines other than splenectomized calf-derived biological material, has been the in vitro cultivation of Babesia bovis and B. bigemina. The development of in vitro culture of Babesia spp. strains in a defined medium has been the basis for the initiation of a source of parasites and exoantigens for a variety of studies on the biochemistry and immunology of babesiosis. The use of live immunogens from attenuated strains derived from in vitro culture is highlighted, which has been proposed as an alternative to control bovine babesiosis. In several studies performed in Mexico, this type of immunogen applied to susceptible cattle has shown the induction of protection against the experimental heterologous strain challenge with both, Babesia-infected blood and animal exposure to confrontations on tick vector-infested farms. The combination of transfection technologies and the in vitro culture system as integrated methodologies would eventually give rise to the generation of genetically modified live vaccines. However, a greater challenge faced now by researchers is the large-scale cultivation of Babesia parasites for mass production and vaccine distribution.

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the recombinant proteins MSA-1, MSA-2c and 12D3 as a combined immunogen for cattle. Fifteen steers were randomly assigned into three groups of five animals each (I, II and III). On day 0, cattle in group I were injected with 50 microg each of rMSA-1, rMSA-2c and r12D3 with the adjuvant Montanide 75; cattle in Group II received adjuvant-PBS, and Group III were untreated controls. On day 14, cattle in Group I received a second injection of the three recombinant proteins in adjuvant and cattle in Group II again received adjuvant alone. On day 28, all groups of cattle were challenged with a field strain of Babesia bovis. After challenge, the experimental cattle were clinically and serologically monitored. Three of the five steers immunized with the combined recombinant B. bovis proteins seroconverted on day 14 post-immunization (P.I.) and the maximum titre was 1 : 1600. All five immunized steers presented strong seropositivity to B. bovis antigens at day 21 P.I. The prepatent periods of vaccinated cattle were delayed until day 10 post-challenge exposure versus 8 and 7 days in Groups II and III, respectively. Cattle in all groups had fever above 41 degrees C; the reduction in packed cell volume was not significantly different (P > 0.05) in vaccinated group I compared with Groups II and III (29% versus 26% and 31%, respectively). Treatment was required for one steer in the control group. During the period of the study, the weight of cattle in Groups I and II increased an average of 9 and 7 kg, whereas the weight of the control cattle was reduced on average 4 kg. Immunization with rMSA-1-rMSA-2c-r12D3 proteins was not sufficient to prevent clinical symptoms against challenge, but the immunologic response was sufficient to protect steers against a mild virulent strain of B. bovis.

Background: Nowadays,Ehrlichia canisreceives increasing attention because of its great morbidity and mortality in animals. Dogs in the subclinical and chronic phases can be asymptomatic, and serological tests show cross-reactivity and fail to differentiate between current and past infections. Moreover, there could be low parasitaemia, andE. canismight be found only in target organs, hence causing results to be negative by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on blood samples.Methods: We evaluated by PCR the prevalence ofE. canisin blood, liver, spleen, lymph node and bone marrow samples of 59 recently euthanised dogs that had ticks but were clinically healthy.Results: In total, 52.55% of the blood PCRs forE. caniswere negative, yet 61.30% yielded positive results from tissue biopsies and were as follows: 63.15% from bone marrow; 52.63% from liver; 47.36% from spleen; and 15.78% from lymph node. In addition, 33% had infection in three tissues (spleen, liver and bone marrow).Conclusions: Our results show the prevalence ofE. canisfrom tissues of dogs that were negative by blood PCR.Ehrlichia canisDNA in tissue was 30% lower in dogs that tested negative in PCR of blood samples compared to those that were positive. However, it must be taken into account that some dogs with negative results were positive forE. canisin other tissues.

Tick-borne bacterial pathogens (TBBPs) show a worldwide distribution and represent a great impact on public health. The brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) is a vector of several pathogens that affect dogs and sometimes humans as well. In addition, TBBPs represent a diagnostic challenge and imply financial resources and medical treatment for long periods of time. In the present study, R. sanguineus s. l. was identified as the main tick species naturally parasitizing dogs that inhabit. Juárez City, Chihuahua, in the Paso del Norte region, Mexico–US Border, representing 99.8% of the cases. Additionally, an end-point PCR was performed to search for whether pathogens in R. sanguineus s. l. can transmit in DNA extracted from ticks and dog blood samples. This is the first molecular detection of Rickettsia rickettsi infecting domestic dogs in Mexico; however, other pathogens were also identified, such as Ehrlichia canis and Anaplasma platys in both ticks and dog blood samples, while Anaplasma phagocytophilum was identified only in dog blood samples. Moreover, co-detection in tick pools and co-infection in the analyzed dog blood samples could be found. Similarly, this research showed that dogs were found mostly parasitized by adult female ticks, increasing the possibility of transmission of E. canis.