Babesia odocoilei Emerson and Wright, 1970 in white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmermann), in Virginia

Abstract

Pooled blood samples from six white-tailed deer from the Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia were inoculated into two splenectomized deer. A moderately severe clinical reaction ensued, characterized by a hemolytic anemia, and a Babesia found in both recipient animals was presumptively identified as B. odocoilei. This is the first reported identification of this parasite in white-tailed deer in Virginia.