THE PIROPLASM\SIDA 



299 



The last are usually found in a group of 4 

 joined together in the form of a cross. 

 Because of this, some authorities prefer 

 to use a separate generic name, NiittalUa, 

 for this and similar species. 



Life Cycle : Division in the erythro- 

 cytes is unlike that of most other species 

 of Babesia in that 4 daughter trophozoites 

 are formed at one time. 



The vectors are Dermacentor mar- 

 ginatus (syn. , D. reticitlatits ), D. pictus, 

 Hyalo)H7na niarginatuni (syn. , H. detri- 

 tinii ), H. iiralense and RJiipicephaliis 

 bursa in the USSR, H. aiialolicnm (syn. , 

 H. excavatum ) and H. marginatum in 

 Greece, H. droj)iedarii andR. sanguineus 

 in North Africa, R. evertsi in South 

 Africa, and H. )narginatu)n a.ndR. san- 

 guineus in central Asia. Transmission is 

 thru the egg in H. anatolicum, and stage- 

 to-stage in all the others. 



Intra-uterine transmission may also 

 occur (Neitz, 1956). 



Pathogenesis : This species is more 

 pathogenic than B. caballi. Mixed infec- 

 tions are not rare, however, so that it is 

 sometimes difficult to be sure which spe- 

 cies is causing the symptoms. The incu- 

 bation period following an infective tick 

 bite is 10 to 21 days. The first sign of 

 disease is a rise in temperature. This 

 is followed by listlessness, depression, 

 marked thirst, inappetence, watering of 

 the eyes and swelling of the eyelids. The 

 most characteristic sign is icterus. There 

 is marked anemia, more than half the 

 erythrocytes often being destroyed. 

 Hemoglobinuria is present, but in contrast 

 to B. caballi infections, posterior paral- 

 ysis is absent. Edema of the head, legs, 

 and ventral part of the body is sometimes 

 present. Affected animals are constipa- 

 ted, passing small, hard balls of feces 

 covered with yellow mucus; they lose con- 

 dition fairly rapidly, and may become 

 extremely emaciated. Hemorrhages are 

 present on the mucous membranes of the 

 nasal passages, vagina and third eyelid. 



The disease usually lasts 7 to 12 days, 

 but it may be peracute, with death occur- 



ring in 1 to 2 days, or it may be chronic 

 and last for weeks. The mortality is 

 generally not more than 10%, but may 

 sometimes reach 50%. Recovery is slow, 

 and it may be several weeks or even 

 months before the animal returns to nor- 

 mal. 



At necropsy, emaciation, icterus, 

 anemia and edema are present. There 

 are accumulations of fluid in the pericar- 

 dial sac and body cavities, and the fat is 

 gelatinous and yellow. The spleen is en- 

 larged, with soft, dark brown pulp. The 

 lymph nodes are swollen and sometimes 

 inflamed. The liver is swollen, engorged, 

 and brownish yellow; the hepatic lobules 

 are yellow in the center and greenish yel- 

 low around the edges. The kidneys are 

 pale yellow and may contain petechial 

 hemorrhages. There are hemorrhages or 

 red streaks on the mucosa of the intestine 

 and stomach. 



Immunity: There is no cross -immun- 

 ity between B. equi and B. caballi. Young 

 animals are less seriously affected than 

 adults. 



Diagnosis : Babesiosis can be diag- 

 nosed by identifying the parasites in 

 stained blood smears. Examinations 

 should be made as early as possible, since 

 the parasites begin to disappear from the 

 peripheral blood after the fifth day. 



Treatment : Trypan blue is ineffective 

 against B. equi. Acriflavine has been 

 recommended; it is injected intravenously, 

 10 ml of a 2% aqueous solution being given 

 per 100 kg body weight. 



BABESIA TRAUTMANNI 

 (KNUTH AND DU TOIT, 1918) 



Synonyms: Piroplasma trautmanni, 

 Piroplasma suis. 



Host : Pig. 



Location : Erythrocjrtes. 



Geographic Distribution : Southern 

 Europe, Central and South Africa, USSR. 



