Epidemiological Studies on Bovine Babesiosis

Abstract

This study carried out at Dakahilia and Daimetta provinces in Nile Delta, Northern Egypt, 650 cattle of different ages (all of them were over six months) were investigated. Of them 234 were considered as suspected cases from which the peripheral blood smears were examined microscopically. The prevalence of B.bigemina through Giemsa stained blood smears positivity was found to be 7.69 %. All stained blood smears were negative for B. bovis. Blood smears positivity cleared a seasonal pattern and an age profile with significant differences. In sporadic farmers and small holders sector at Dakahlia province; seroprevalence by IFAT for B. bigemina was 47% indicative of a situation of endemic instability with significant clinical disease risk. This is consistent with clinical cases of babesiosis that diagnosed through stained blood smears and the indiscriminate tick control practices in these two sectors. On the other hand, the tick control programmes were more aggressive and sustained with good results in intensive farms at Daimetta province leading to a minimal disease situation.