SEROLOGICAL, PARASITOLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR ASSESSMENT OF Babesia bovis AND Babesia bigemina IN CATTLE FROM STATE OF MARANHÃO

The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina in dairy cattle from Sao Luis Island in the state of Maranhao, Brazil. A total of 281 blood samples were collected. In total, 275 (97.9%) animals were B. bovis-reactive and B. bigemina-reactive in the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). The microscopy examination detected 22 (7.8%) animals that were positive for Babesia sp. and the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) analysis showed that 91 animals (32.38%) and 23 animals (8.18%) were positive for B. bovis and B. bigemina, respectively, while 17 animals (6.04%) were co-infected. There is a high level of transmission of these protozoa in Maranhao, and the animals were naturally exposed. Therefore, it is possible to characterize the island as enzootic stability for babesiosis, indicating a risk of financial losses when susceptible animals are introduced from areas of enzootic instability or free regions of B. bovis and B. bigemina.