A complex of a number of diseases caused by Babesia spp that affect various animals and humans.
Published in Chapter:
Bovine Babesioses and Control
Leonard Muchenditsi Khaluhi (Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation, Kenya), Erick Ouma Mungube (Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation, Kenya), James M. Wanjohi (Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation, Kenya), and Sebastian K. Waruri (Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation, Kenya)
Copyright: © 2021
|Pages: 25
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-6433-2.ch012
Abstract
Bovine babesiosis is considered one of the most economically important tick-borne diseases in tropical and subtropical areas. Thus, it is important to understand the disease in terms causative agent, vectors, hosts, and distribution. Babesia is the causative agent of the disease and has a life cycle both in the invertebrate and vertebrate hosts. The major bovine species are B. bovis, B. bigemina, found in the tropics and sub tropics while B. divergens and B. major are found in the temperate regions. Bovine babesiosis is transmitted by the one-host cattle ticks, formerly in the genus Boophilus and now Rhipicephalus. In endemic areas are tick management, immunization, and anti-babesia drugs or by a combination. Chemotherapy is important for controlling the disease either to treat field cases or to control artificially induced infections. Conventional drugs for treating bovine babesiosis are Imidocarb dipropionate and Diminazene aceturate. Ticks are controlled by application of acaricides, but tick resistance and environmental pollution are drawbacks.