A Chemoprophylactic Approach to Babesiasis

Sparingly-soluble salts of several drugs having therapeutic activity against Babesia spp. have been tested for their ability to form a drug depot when injected subcutaneously in rats. Derivatives which formed a depot were tested in splenectomized calves for their ability to prevent the development of clinical redwater when the animals were later challenged with blood containing Babesia divergens. Encouraging results have been obtained with quinuronium suraminate, quinuronium 5 5’-methylene bis salicylate and quinuronium embonate.