Identifying Protozoa- Part 4 Trypanosomes, Babesia and Theileria

Trypanosomes

• Morbidity and mortality in animals and man in tropical countries.
• Trypanosomiasis is a major disease constraint on livestock production in Sub-Saharan Africa where they are transmitted by Glossina TseTse flies. 
• Can be transmitted by biting flies. 
• Spindle shaped, have a flagellum which originates from the kinetoplast at the posterior end. The flagellum runs from the anterior end and is attached along the length of the cell. 

Trypanosoma Theileri 

• Cattle parasite seen commonly in the UK.
• Parasitaemia is low so parasites are rarely seen.

Babesia Divergens 

• Pathogenic Babesia species of British cattle causing red water. 
• Ixodes Ricinus vector- three host tick.
• Small species. Pairs of organisms, widely diverging and in the cell periphery of red blood cells. 

Babesia Bovis

• Parasite of cattle in the tropics and subtropics and southern Asia. 
• Most pathogenic babesia species.
• Vector= Boophilus (one host hard tick).
• Small.

Babesia Bigemina 

• Parasities cattle in Africa, Australia and South America. 
• Boophilus vector.
• Large.

Babesia Canis

• Tropics, subtropics and Mediterranean countries.
• Large.
• Pathogenic.
• Dermacentor and R.Sangineus vectors.

Theileria 

• Cattle and sheep disease in Africa, Asia, Australia & the Middle East.
• Seen in red blood cells, undergoes schizogony in lymphocytes.

Theileria Parva

• Red coast fever.
• Cattle and sheep.
• Production constraint.
• Vector= R. appendiculatus.
• Smaller than Babesia.
• Do not form linked pairs like Babesia.
• Often more than one parasite per red blood cell.