Intas Polivet 21 (1): 136-138 Short Communication

Diagnosis and Therapeutic Management of Babesiosis in a Murrah buffalo

Maneesh Sharma, Neelesh Sindhu1, Tarun Kumar and V.K. Jain
Department of Veterinary Clinical Complex
College of Veterinary Sciences
Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (LUVAS)
Hisar - 125004 (Haryana)

Abstract
A buffalo was presented with history of anorexia, high fever (1040F), staggering gait, tick infestation, decrease in milk yield
and brisket oedema. Clinical findings were mildly congested conjunctival mucus membrane, high temperature and brisket
oedema. Hematological examination revealed anemic changes and neutrophilic leucocytosis. Blood smear examination
revealed confirmatory diagnosis of presence of pyriform piroplasms of Babesia species. Biochemical examination revealed
increased level of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), blood urea nitrogen (BUN),
creatinine and total bilirubin etc. Animal was effectively treated with Inj. Diminazine aceturate @ 3.5 mg/ kg b. wt. along with
hematinics and supportive therapy.
Keywords: Babesia; babesiosis; buffalo; diminazine aceturate

Introduction days. Milk yield had also decreased from 11 litres to

Downloaded From IP - 157.47.77.78 on dated 28-Jan-2022

Bovine babesiosis is one of the most important 1 litre. Clinical examination revealed mildly
protozoan infection affecting different species of congested conjunctival mucous membranes (Fig. 1),
Members Copy, Not for Commercial Sale

animals including buffaloes. It is economically the temperature (100.50F) and brisket oedema. Animal
www.IndianJournals.com

most important tick-borne disease of large ruminants

causing high mortality and morbidity especially in
developing countries including India. Due to the fact
that buffaloes are raised together with cattle, among
which bovine babesiosis is highly prevalent (Iseki et
al., 2010) that might be potential carriers for Babesia
parasites. Costs due to babesiosis are the results of
high mortality, ill-thrift, abortions, loss of milk/meat
production and draft power and from control
measures such as acaricide treatments, purchase
of vaccines and therapeutics (Bock et al., 2004).
However, efforts to furnish information about natural
infection with B. bovis in buffaloes as well as
crossbred cattle are necessary for better Fig. 1: Mildly congested conjunctival mucus membrane
understanding of disease pattern under uncontrolled
field conditions and subsequently, implementation
of suitable policy for treatment and control. Much
information is available for crossbred cattle but very
few cases were reported about babesiosis in
buffaloes. Therefore, the present study reported
babesiosis in buffalo and its early diagnosis and
successful therapeutic management.
History and Diagnosis
A seven years old female buffalo was presented with
history of anorexia, high fever (1040F), staggering
gait, tick infestation and brisket oedema since four

1. Assistant Professor and Corresponding author. Fig. 2: Pyriform pear shaped piroplasmic stage of
E-mail: neeleshsindhu@gmail.com Babesia in thin blood smear examination (×1000)

136
 Sharma et al.

Table 1: Hematobiochemical EDTA coated tubes for hematological studies and

parameters evaluated serum vials for biochemical examination.
Hematological examination revealed absolute
Parameters Affected Control neutrophilia (neutrophilc leucocytosis); however,
animal other parameters viz. hemoglobin, total erythrocyte
Total erythrocyte 5.79 5.07-8.27* count were on the lower side of normal range (Table
count (×106/µl) 1). Thin blood smear examination was undertaken
immediately after taking the blood sample using
Blood glucose (mg/dl) 74.9 45-75** Giemsa staining method (1:10 with distilled water
Hemoglobin (Gm %) 9.9 9-13.5* for about 30-45 minutes) and examined on Olympus
microscope by using oil immersion lens at x1000
Total protein (g/dl) 7.81 6.74-7.46** magnification. It revealed pyriform pear shaped
Packed cell volume (%) 31 25-34* piroplasmic stage of Babesia species and confirmed
morphologically as Babesia bovis (Fig. 2). Serum
Albumin (g/dl) 2.26 3.03-3.55** sample collected for biochemical examination of
MCV (fL) 77.8 40.6-55.2* different parameters showed in Table no. 1. It
revealed increased level of AST (690 U/L), GGT (43.8
Blood urea nitrogen 49.81 20-30** U/L), total bilirubin (2.51 mg/dl), blood urea nitrogen
(mg/dl) (49.81 mg/dl) and creatinine (6.49 mg/dl) etc.
Downloaded From IP - 157.47.77.78 on dated 28-Jan-2022

MCH (pg) 17 13.5-20.5* However, other parameters were within the normal
range.
Members Copy, Not for Commercial Sale

Creatinine (mg/dl) 6.49 1-2**

www.IndianJournals.com

MCHC (g/dl) 22 20.9-38.5* Treatment

Animal was effectively treated with Inj. Diminazine
AST (U/L) 690.2 78-132** aceturate @ 3.5 mg/ kg b. wt. along with hematinics
Total leucocyte 15.24 6.25-13.05* and supportive therapy like multivitamins for three
count (×103/µl) days. Animal showed clinical recovery after one
week of treatment. After ten days, animal was
ALT (U/L) 39.3 11-40**
reviewed again and blood examination was found
Differential Leucocyte Count (DLC) negative for Babesiosis.
ALP(U/L) 293 80-364** Discussion
Neutrophils (%) 79 13-54*
Babesiosis is one of the most important protozoan
infections affecting different species of animals
GGT (U/L) 43.8 6.10-17.40** including buffaloes. In acute form, it lowers the
Lymphocytes (%) 19 26-75* productive performance of affected animals (Talkhan
et al., 2010, Ziapour et al., 2011) leading to economic
Ca (mg/dl) 8.1 9.7-12.4** losses. Hematological examination revealed
Monocytes (%) 3 1-11.5* absolute neutrophilia. However, other parameters
were within the lower side of normal range. In
Phosphorus (mg/dl) 6.58 5.6-6.5**
present study, increased level of AST, GGT, blood
Eosinophils (%) 0 2-14* urea nitrogen, creatinine and total bilirubin signifies
harmful effect of toxic metabolites of Babesia sp. on
Total Billirubin (mg/dl) 2.51 1-2**
liver cells leading to impairment and alterations of
Basophils (%) 0 0-3.5* liver and kidney enzymes. Hussein et al. (2007) also
reported significant increase in AST, ALT and GGT
* - Schalms Veterinary Hematology, 6th Edition
in babesiosis. A significant increase in total bilirubin
** - Kaneko et al. (1997)
indicates hemolytic crisis of babesiosis (Panday and
was reluctant to move and showed staggering gait. Misra, 1987) and hepatic damage (Yeruham et al.,
External examination revealed presence of ticks. 2003). The increase in enzymes activity may be
Blood sample was collected from jugular vein in attributed to anemia that lead to hypoxic and toxic

137
 Babesiosis in buffalo

liver damages. Hemolysis may occur which in
conjunction with hypoxia may leads to hepatic cell
degeneration and glomerular dysfunction leading
to alterations of kidney enzymes like blood urea and
creatinine (Sharma et al., 2016). Identification of
hemoprotozoa based on morphological characteri-
zation when used in thin and thick blood smears
method has been considered to be the standard
technique for routine diagnosis, as it is still
economical and fast method (Demessie and Derso.
2015).
Diminazene aceturate (DA) is an antibabesial agent
commonly used for treatment of animal babesiosis,
which acts by blocking the replication of DNA of
parasite (Mosqueda et al., 2012). The reports of
babesiosis in buffaloes are scarce and pattern of
disease is not clearly known in buffaloes. As there is
Downloaded From IP - 157.47.77.78 on dated 28-Jan-2022
Iseki, H., Zhou, L.,  Kim, C., Inpankaew, T.,  Sununta,
C., Yokoyama, N., Xuan, X., Jittapalapong, S and Igarashi,
I. (2010). Seroprevalence of Babesia infections of dairy
cows in northern Thailand. Vet. Parasitol. 170: 193-96.
Kaneko, J.J., Harvey, J.W. and Bruss, M.L. (1997). Clinical
Biochemistry of Domestic Animals, 5th edn., Academic
Press San Diego.
Mosqueda J., Olvera-Ramirez, A., Aguilar-Tipacamu, G.
and Canto, G.J. (2012). Current advances in detection and
treatment of babesiosis. Curr. Med. Chem.  19: 1504-18. 
Pandey, N. and Misra, S. (1987). Haematological and
Biochemical response to haemolytic anaemia of clinical
Babesiosis in cattle and therapy. Ind. Vet. J. 64: 882-86.
Sharma, A.,   Singla, L.D., Ashuma,  Batth, B.K and  Kaur,
P. (2016). Clinicopatho-biochemical alterations associated
with Sub-clinical Babesiosis in Dairy animals. J Arthropod
Borne Dis. 10: 258-66.

drastic decrease in production parameters of affected

Talkhan, O.F.A., Radwan, M.E.I and Ali, M.A. (2010). Cattle
buffaloes need of hour is to study the pathogenesis
babesiosis and associated biochemical alteration in Kalubyia
Members Copy, Not for Commercial Sale

of disease and their early diagnosis and therapeutic Governorate. Nat. Sci. 12: 24-27.
www.IndianJournals.com

measurements.

References Wills, T.B. (2010). Haematology of water buffalo (Bubalia

Bock, R., Jackson, L., de Vos, A and Jorgensen, W. (2004).
Babesiosis of cattle. Parasitol. 129: 247-69.
Demessie, Y and Derso, S. (2015). Tick Borne
Hemoparasitic Diseases of Ruminants - A Review. Adva.
Biol. Res. 9: 210-24.
Hussein, A.H., Mohammed, N. Abd-EL-Salam and
Mohammed, H.K. (2007). Theileriosis and babesiosis in
cattle: hemogram and some biochemical parameters.
Proceedings of XIII International Congress of ISAH, June
17th-21st. Tartu, Estonia, p. 143-50.
bubalis). In Weiss, D. J., Wardrop K. J. (eds). Shalm’s
Veterinary Hematology, 6th Edition. Blackwell Publishing
Limited. p. 1-1206.
Yeruham, I., Avidar, Y., Aroch, I. and Hadani, A. (2003).
Intra-uterine infection with Babesia bovis in a 2 day old
calf. J Vet Med. 50: 60-62.
Ziapour, S.P., Esfandiari, B and Youssefi, M.R. (2011).
Study of the prevalence of babesiosis in domesticated
animals with suspected signs in Mazandaran province,
North of Iran, during 2008. J. Animal. Vet. Adv. 10: 712-14.
Received on: 07.05.2020
Accepted on: 26.06.2020

Pets remain in high demand during COVID

‘COVID-19 Pulse Study’ was conducted by The American Pet
Products Association and reported that an estimated 11.38 million
U.S. households have got a new pet during the COVID pandemic.
The survey further indicated that 75 percent of the pet owners
confessed to have a strong human-animal bond and spend more
time with a dog, cat or another animal species to reduce their
stress and increases their sense of well being during COVID-19.

138