Impact of Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina on the production of beef cattle in Uruguay

Abstract This study investigated the seropositivity for five different tick-borne agents, namely Anaplasma marginale, Babesia bovis, Babesia bigemina, Coxiella burnetii, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Trypanosoma vivax in beef cattle in the Brazilian Pantanal. The serum samples collected from animals (200 cows; 200 calves) were used in indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (iELISA) to detect IgG antibodies against A. marginale, B. bovis, B. bigemina, and T. vivax, and Indirect Fluorescent Antibody Test (IFAT) for detecting IgG antibodies against C. burnetii and A. phagocytophilum. No correlation was observed between seropositivity for C. burnetii and A. phagocytophilum with other agents whereas moderate correlation was observed for A. marginalexB. bigemina x B. bovis. Cows were more seropositive for T. vivax whereas calves were more seropositive for B. bovis and B. bigemina. The highest number of seropositive animals by a single agent was observed for T. vivax (15.2%). Co-seropositivity for T. vivax + A. marginale was higher in cows (25.5%) and for T. vivax + B. bovis + B. bigemina + A. marginale was higher in calves (57.5%). The high seropositivity correlation for A. marginale x B. bovis x B. bigemina is probably due to the presence of the tick biological vector, Rhipicephalus microplus, in the studied farms. Common transmission pathways, mediated by hematophagous dipterans and fomites, may explain the high co-seropositivity of cows for A. marginale and T. vivax. Low seropositivity to C. burnetii is probably due to the type of breeding system employed (extensive). Seropositivity for A. phagocytophilum in only one animal suggests the occurrence of a cross-serological reaction with another agent of the genus Anaplasma.

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Applying Machine Learning to Predict the Exportome of Bovine and Canine Babesia Species That Cause Babesiosis

Pathogens ◽

10.3390/pathogens10060660 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 660

Author(s):

Stephen J. Goodswen ◽

Paul J. Kennedy ◽

John T. Ellis

Keyword(s):

Machine Learning ◽

Severe Disease ◽

Economic Loss ◽

Babesia Bovis ◽

Training Data ◽

Babesia Bigemina ◽

Bovine Babesiosis ◽

Canine Babesiosis ◽

Clinically Significant ◽

Significant Disease

Babesia infection of red blood cells can cause a severe disease called babesiosis in susceptible hosts. Bovine babesiosis causes global economic loss to the beef and dairy cattle industries, and canine babesiosis is considered a clinically significant disease. Potential therapeutic targets against bovine and canine babesiosis include members of the exportome, i.e., those proteins exported from the parasite into the host red blood cell. We developed three machine learning-derived methods (two novel and one adapted) to predict for every known Babesia bovis, Babesia bigemina, and Babesia canis protein the probability of being an exportome member. Two well-studied apicomplexan-related species, Plasmodium falciparum and Toxoplasma gondii, with extensive experimental evidence on their exportome or excreted/secreted proteins were used as important benchmarks for the three methods. Based on 10-fold cross validation and multiple train–validation–test splits of training data, we expect that over 90% of the predicted probabilities accurately provide a secretory or non-secretory indicator. Only laboratory testing can verify that predicted high exportome membership probabilities are creditable exportome indicators. However, the presented methods at least provide those proteins most worthy of laboratory validation and will ultimately save time and money.

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Stable transformation of Babesia bigemina and Babesia bovis using a single transfection plasmid

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-018-23010-4 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Marta G. Silva ◽

Donald P. Knowles ◽

Monica L. Mazuz ◽

Brian M. Cooke ◽

Carlos E. Suarez

Keyword(s):

Stable Transformation ◽

Babesia Bovis ◽

Babesia Bigemina

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Babesia bovis, Babesia bigemina, Babesia canis, Babesia microti and Babesia rodhaini: Comparison of ribosomal RNA gene organization

International Journal for Parasitology ◽

10.1016/0020-7519(92)90139-c ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 22 (6) ◽

pp. 851-855 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

B.P. Dalrymple ◽

C.M. Dimmock ◽

F. Parrodi ◽

I.G. Wright

Keyword(s):

Ribosomal Rna ◽

Gene Organization ◽

Babesia Bovis ◽

Babesia Microti ◽

Babesia Canis ◽

Babesia Bigemina ◽

Ribosomal Rna Gene

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Serological responses to Babesia bovis vaccination in cattle previously infected with Babesia bigemina

Veterinary Parasitology ◽

10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.02.008 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 170 (1-2) ◽

pp. 30-36 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

M.P. Combrink ◽

P.C. Troskie ◽

F. Du Plessis ◽

A.A. Latif

Keyword(s):

Babesia Bovis ◽

Babesia Bigemina

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Molecular diagnosis and phylogenetic analysis of Babesia bigemina and Babesia bovis hemoparasites from cattle in South Africa

BMC Veterinary Research ◽

10.1186/1746-6148-9-154 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 154 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Moses Mtshali ◽

Phillip Mtshali

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Phylogenetic Analysis ◽

Molecular Diagnosis ◽

Babesia Bovis ◽

Babesia Bigemina

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Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina infection levels estimated by qPCR in Angus cattle from an endemic area of São Paulo state, Brazil

Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases ◽

10.1016/j.ttbdis.2016.02.011 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 7 (5) ◽

pp. 657-662 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

R. Giglioti ◽

H.N. Oliveira ◽

C.H. Santana ◽

A.M.G. Ibelli ◽

T.A. Néo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Endemic Area ◽

Sao Paulo ◽

Babesia Bovis ◽

São Paulo ◽

Babesia Bigemina ◽

Paulo State ◽

Angus Cattle ◽

São Paulo State

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Molecular survey of cattle ticks in Burundi: First report on the presence of the invasive Rhipicephalus microplus tick

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0261218 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (12) ◽

pp. e0261218

Author(s):

Lionel Nyabongo ◽

David O. Odongo ◽

Gad Milton ◽

Eunice Machuka ◽

Patrick Vudriko ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Genetic Diversity ◽

Tick Species ◽

Rhipicephalus Appendiculatus ◽

Rhipicephalus Microplus ◽

Babesia Bovis ◽

12S Rrna ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Babesia Bigemina ◽

Cattle Ticks ◽

Agroecological Zones

A recent research study on prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in Burundi reported high prevalence and endemicity of Theileria parva, Anaplasma marginale and Babesia bigemina infections in cattle. Detailed information about tick species infesting animals, their distribution and genetic diversity in Burundi is outdated and limited. This study therefore assessed the prevalence and genetic diversity of tick species infesting cattle across agroecological zones (AEZs) in Burundi. A cross-sectional study on the occurrence of tick species was conducted in 24 districts of Burundi between October and December 2017. Differential identification and characterization of ticks collected was conducted using tick morphological keys and molecular tools (cox1 and 12S rRNA gene). Chi-square test was used to test for association between agroecological zones and the prevalence of tick species. Phylogenetic relationships were inferred using bayesian and maximum likelihood algorithms. A total of 483 ticks were collected from the five AEZs sampled. Six tick species comprising of Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, R. sanguineus, R. evertsi evertsi, R. microplus, R. decoloratus and Amblyomma variegatum were observed. Rhipicephalus appendiculatus were the most prevalent ticks (~45%). A total of 138 specimens (28%) were found to be Rhipicephalus microplus, suggesting an emerging threat for cattle farmers. Twelve R. appendiculatus cox1 haplotypes were obtained from 106 specimens that were sequenced. Two cox1 haplotypes of R. microplus which clustered into previously reported Clade A were observed. Rhipicephalus sanguineus and R. evertsi evertsi ticks, the vectors of numerous zoonotic pathogens, were collected from cattle, which constitute a high risk for public health. These findings reveal an overlapping distribution of tick vectors in Burundi. The design of ticks and tick-borne diseases control strategies should consider the distribution of different vectors across the AEZs particularly the presence of the highly invasive R. microplus tick in Burundi and the potential risk of introducing the pathogenic Babesia bovis.

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