Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2003 Oct;16(4):622-36.
doi: 10.1128/CMR.16.4.622-636.2003.

Babesia divergens, a bovine blood parasite of veterinary and zoonotic importance

Annetta Zintl  1 , Grace Mulcahy, Helen E Skerrett, Stuart M Taylor, Jeremy S Gray
Affiliations
Review

Babesia divergens, a bovine blood parasite of veterinary and zoonotic importance

Annetta Zintl et al. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2003 Oct.

Abstract

Babesia divergens is an intraerythrocytic protozoan parasite, transmitted by the tick Ixodes ricinus, and is the main agent of bovine babesiosis in Europe. It is not only a cause of significant loss to the cattle industry; it can also infect immunocompromised humans, causing medical emergencies characterized by rapid fulmination and parasitemias that may exceed 70%. The current emphasis in Europe on sustainable agriculture and extensification is likely to lead to an increase in vector tick populations with increased risk of infection. Despite the veterinary and zoonotic importance of this parasite, relatively little research has been carried out on B. divergens, and many questions regarding the parasite's epidemiology and the host's response remain unanswered. A better understanding of the species' biology and host-parasite interactions may lead to improved control mechanisms and new trends in vaccine and antibabesial drug development. This review provides the first comprehensive summary of B. divergens biology, including its morphology, life cycle, and host specificity, and the current state of knowledge of both human and bovine infections.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

FIG. 1.
FIG. 1.
Babesia divergens in erythrocytes of different hosts. (a) Bovine erythrocytes in vivo. (b) Bovine erythrocytes in vitro. (c) Ovine erythrocytes in vitro. (d) Human erythrocytes in vitro. (e) Gerbil erythrocytes in vivo. (f) Donkey erythrocytes in vitro.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Adam, K. M. G., and D. A. Blewett. 1974. Experimental infection of mice with Babesia divergens. J. Protozool. 21:448.
    1. Adam, K. M. G., and D. A. Blewett. 1978. A serological survey for Babesia in cattle in Scotland. II. The occurrence of antibody in the population and the distribution of infected herds. Ann. Trop. Med. Parasitol. 72:417-428. - PubMed
    1. Adam, K. M. G., D. A. Blewett, T. J. Collins, and J. T. Edgar. 1978. Outbreaks of babesiasis on two farms in Scotland. Br. Vet. J. 134:428-433. - PubMed
    1. Adam, K. M. G., D. A. Blewett, D. W. Brockelsby, and G. A. M. Sharman. 1976. The isolation and characterisation of a Babesia from red deer (Cervus elaphus). Parasitology 73:1-11. - PubMed
    1. Aeschlimann, A., M. Brossard, and G. Quenet. 1975. Contribution a la connaissance des piroplasmes de Suisse. Acta Trop. 32:281-289. - PubMed