State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA.
Parasit Vectors. 2021 Sep 7;14(1):460. doi: 10.1186/s13071-021-04948-3.
Babesiosis is a tick-borne disease with global impact caused by parasites of the phylum Apicomplexa, genus Babesia. Typically, acute bovine babesiosis (BB) is characterized by fever, anemia, hemoglobinuria, and high mortality. Surviving animals remain persistently infected and become reservoirs for parasite transmission. Bovids in China can be infected by one or more Babesia species endemic to the country, including B. bovis, B. bigemina, B. orientalis, B. ovata, B. major, B. motasi, B. U sp. Kashi and B. venatorum. The latter may pose a zoonotic risk. Occurrence of this wide diversity of Babesia species in China may be due to a combination of favorable ecological factors, such as the presence of multiple tick vectors, including Rhipicephalus and Hyalomma, the coexistence of susceptible bovid species, such as domestic cattle, yaks, and water buffalo, and the lack of efficient measures of tick control. BB is currently widespread in several regions of the country and a limiting factor for cattle production. While some areas appear to have enzootic stability, others have considerable cattle mortality. Research is needed to devise solutions to the challenges posed by uncontrolled BB. Critical research gaps include risk assessment for cattle residing in endemic areas, understanding factors involved in endemic stability, evaluation of parasite diversity and pathogenicity of regional Babesia species, and estimation of whether and how BB should be controlled in China. Research should allow the design of comprehensive interventions to improve cattle production, diminish the risk of human infections, and increase the availability of affordable animal protein for human consumption in China and worldwide. In this review, we describe the current state of BB with reference to the diversity of hosts, vectors, and parasite species in China. We also discuss the unique risks and knowledge gaps that should be taken into consideration for future Babesia research and control strategies.
巴贝斯虫病是一种由顶复门的寄生虫引起的蜱传疾病，具有全球影响。通常，急性牛巴贝斯虫病（BB）的特征是发热、贫血、血红蛋白尿和高死亡率。幸存的动物仍然持续感染，并成为寄生虫传播的储主。中国的牛科动物可能会感染一种或多种该国特有的巴贝斯虫，包括牛巴贝斯虫、双芽巴贝斯虫、东方巴贝斯虫、卵形巴贝斯虫、大型巴贝斯虫、莫氏巴贝斯虫、乌什巴贝斯虫和斑头巴贝斯虫。后者可能构成人畜共患病风险。中国存在如此广泛的巴贝斯虫多样性，可能是由于多种有利的生态因素的结合，如存在多种蜱虫媒介，包括璃眼蜱属和血蜱属，易感牛科动物的共存，如牛、牦牛和水牛，以及缺乏有效的蜱虫控制措施。BB 目前在该国的几个地区广泛流行，是牛生产的限制因素。虽然一些地区似乎具有地方性稳定，但其他地区的牛死亡率相当高。需要研究制定解决不受控制的 BB 带来的挑战的方案。关键的研究差距包括对生活在流行地区的牛的风险评估、了解地方性稳定涉及的因素、评估区域巴贝斯虫物种的多样性和致病性，以及估计在中国是否以及如何控制 BB。研究应允许设计全面的干预措施，以提高牛的生产，减少人类感染的风险，并增加中国和全球可负担得起的动物蛋白的供应。在本综述中，我们描述了 BB 的现状，参考了中国宿主、媒介和寄生虫物种的多样性。我们还讨论了在未来的巴贝斯虫研究和控制策略中应考虑的独特风险和知识差距。
