Use of in vitro culture to isolate Babesia bovis from Theileria buffeli, Eperythrozoon wenyoni and Anaplasma spp.

On nine separate occasions, Babesia bovis microaerophilus stationary phase (MASP) cultures were initiated with blood from calves with concurrent infections of B. bovis and Theileria buffeli, Eperythrozoon wenyoni or Anaplasma spp. In each case B. bovis became established in culture and was maintained for 30-49 days. Culture material was inoculated into susceptible splenectomised calves to test for persistence of the other organisms. No haemoparasites other than B. bovis were detected in Giemsa-stained blood films of recipient calves and no antibodies to T. buffeli or Anaplasma were detected using indirect fluorescent antibody and card agglutination tests, respectively. The method provides a practical way of removing contaminants such as Theileria, Eperythrozoon and Anaplasma spp. from B. bovis isolates without the use of drugs, tick passage or repeated syringe passage in cattle.