Species Babesia bigemina (Smith & Kilbourne, 1893)

Museums

Regional Maps

• Pyrosoma bigeminum Smith, T. & Kilbourne, F.L. 1893. Investigations into the nature, causation and prevention of Southern cattle fever. Ninth Annual Report of the Bureau of Animal Industry for the Year 1892. 177–304 pp.

Generic Combinations

• Babesia bigemina (Smith & Kilbourne, 1893). —
  Levine, N.D. 1971. Taxonomy of the Piroplasms. Transactions of the American Microscopical Society 90(1): 2-33 [Date published Jan] [3]
• Piroplasma bigeminum (Smith & Kilbourne, 1893). —
  Patton, W. H. 1895. The name of the southern or splenic cattle-fever parasite. American Naturalist 29: 498

Distribution

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IBRA

Arnhem Coast (ARC), Arnhem Plateau (ARP), Brigalow Belt North (BBN), Brigalow Belt South (BBS), Central Arnhem (CA), Central Kimberley (CK), Central Mackay Coast (CMC), Cape York Peninsula (CYP), Daly Basin (DAB), Darwin Coastal (DAC), Desert Uplands (DEU), Dampierland (DL), Einasleigh Uplands (EIU), Gulf Fall and Uplands (GFU), Gulf Coastal (GUC), Gulf Plains (GUP), Mount Isa Inlier (MII), Northern Kimberley (NK), Ord Victoria Plain (OVP), Pine Creek (PCK), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ), Tiwi Cobourg (TIW), Victoria Bonaparte (VB), Wet Tropics (WT)

Ecological Descriptors

Parasitic (host(s): Boophilus microplus (Canestini, 1887) [IXODIDAE] Cattle Tick (syn. B. australis; gut, haemolymph, Malpighian tubules, ova, salivary glands,); Equus (Equus) caballus Linnaeus, 1758 [EQUIDAE] Horse (blood); Bos taurus Linnaeus, 1758 [BOVIDAE] Ox (blood, antibodies (CFT, HAT, IFAT)); Ovis aries Linnaeus, 1758 [BOVIDAE] Sheep (blood); Bubalus bubalis (Linnaeus, 1758) [BOVIDAE] Water Buffalo (blood); Bos taurus indicus Linnaeus, 1766 [BOVIDAE] Zebu (as a variety; blood)).

Associated Fauna References

Atwell R.B. 1975. Prenatal Babesia bigemina infection in a calf. Australian Veterinary Journal 51: 539 (Bos taurus)

Bock, R.E., Devos, A.J., Kingston, T.G. & McLellan, D.J. 1997. Effect of breed of cattle on innate resistance to infection with Babesia bovis, B. bigemina and Anaplasma marginale. Australian Veterinary Journal 75: 337-340 (Bos taurus)

Bock, R.E., Kingston, T.G., Standfast, N.F. & de Vos, A.J. 1999. Effect of cattle breed on innate resistance to inoculations of Babesia bigemina. Australian Veterinary Journal 77: 465-466 (Bos taurus indicus; Bos taurus)

Bock, R.E., Kingston, T.G. & de Vos, A.J. 1999. Effect of breed of cattle on transmission rate and innate resistance to infection with Babesia bovis and B. bigemina transmitted by Boophilus microplus. Australian Veterinary Journal 77: 461-464 (Bos taurus)

Bock, R.E. & de Vos, A.J. 2001. Immunity following use of Australian tick fever vaccine: a review of the evidence. Australian Veterinary Journal 79: 832-839 (Bos taurus)

Callow, L.L. 1964. Strain immunity in babesiosis. Nature 204: 1213-1214 (Bos taurus)

Callow, L.L. 1965. Babesia bigemina in ticks grown on non-bovine hosts and its transmission to these hosts. Parasitology 55: 375-381 (Boophilus microplus; Equus (Equus) caballus; Bos taurus; Ovis aries)

Callow, L.L. 1967. Sterile immunity, coinfectious immunity and strain differences in Babesia bigemina infections. Parasitology 57: 455-465 (Bos taurus)

Callow, L.L. 1968. The infection of Boophilus microplus with Babesia bigemina. Parasitology 58: 663-670 (Boophilus microplus)

Callow, L.L. 1979. Some aspects of the epidemiology and control of bovine babesiosis in Australia. Journal of the South African Veterinary Association 50: 353-356 (Bos taurus)

Callow, L.L. 1984. Animal Health in Australia. Volume 5. Protozoal and Rickettsial Diseases. Canberra : Aust. Govt. Publ. Service. (Bos taurus)

Callow, L.L., Dalgliesh, R.J. & De Vos, A.J. 1997. Development of effective living vaccines against bovine babesiosis - the longest field trial? International Journal for Parasitology 27: 747-767 (Bos taurus)

Callow, L.L., McGregor, W., Parker, R.J. & Dalgliesh, R.J. 1974. Immunity of cattle to Babesia bigemina following its elimination from the host, with observations on antibody levels detected by the indirect fluorescent antibody test. Australian Veterinary Journal 50: 12-15 (Bos taurus)

Callow, L.L., Parker, R.J., Rodwell, B.J. & Ottley, M.L. 1976. Piroplasmosis in buffaloes and its serological diagnosis based on a homology between buffalo and bovine immunoglobulins. Australian Veterinary Journal 52: 40-41 (Bubalus bubalis)

Callow, L.L. & Hoyte, H.M.D. 1961. Transmission experiments using Babesia bigemina, Theileria mutans, Borrelia sp. and the cattle tick, Boophilus microplus. Australian Veterinary Journal 37: 381-390 (Boophilus microplus; Bos taurus)

Callow, L.L. & Johnston, L.A.Y. 1963. Babesia spp. in the brains of clinically normal cattle and their detection by a brain smear technique. Australian Veterinary Journal 39: 25-31 (Bos taurus)

Callow, L.L. & McGregor, W. 1970. The effect of imidocarb against Babesia argentina and Babesia bigemina infections in cattle. Australian Veterinary Journal 46: 195-200 (Bos taurus)

Cleland, J.B. 1907. The diseases of animals and meat inspection in Western Australia. Journal of the Department of Agriculture Western Australia 15: 84-94 (Bos taurus)

Curnow, J.A. 1973. Studies on the epizootiology of bovine babesiosis in common border areas of New South Wales and Queensland. Australian Veterinary Journal 49: 294-297 (Bos taurus)

Curnow, J.A. 1973. Studies on the epizootiology of bovine babesiosis in north eastern New South Wales. Australian Veterinary Journal 49: 284-289 (Bos taurus)

Curnow, J.A. 1973. The use of a slide agglutination test to demonstrate antigenic differences between Babesia bigemina parasites. Australian Veterinary Journal 49: 290-293 (Bos taurus)

Dalgliesh, R.J. 1971. Dimethyl sulphoxide in the low-temperature preservation of Babesia bigemina. Research in Veterinary Science 12: 469-471 (Bos taurus)

Dalgliesh, R.J. 1972. Effects of low temperature preservation and route of inoculation on infectivity of Babesia bigemina in blood diluted with glycerol. Research in Veterinary Science 13: 540-545 (Bos taurus)

Dalgliesh, R.J., Callow, L.L., Mellors, L.T. & McGregor, W. 1981. Development of a highly infective Babesia bigemina vaccine of reduced virulence. Australian Veterinary Journal 57: 8-11 (Bos taurus)

Dalgliesh, R.J., Jorgensen, W.K. & DeVos, A.J. 1990. Australian frozen vaccines for the control of babesiosis and anaplasmosis in cattle - a review. Tropical Animal Health and Production 22: 44-52 (Bos taurus)

Dalgliesh, R.J., Stewart, N.P. & Callow, L.L. 1978. Transmission of Babesia bigemina by transfer of adult male Boophilus microplus. Australian Veterinary Journal 54: 205-206 (Boophilus microplus; Bos taurus)

Dalgliesh, R.J., Stewart, N.P. & Rodwell, B.J. 1981. Increased numbers of strahlenkorper in Boophilus microplus ticks ingesting a blood-passaged strain of Babesia bigemina. Research in Veterinary Science 31: 350-352 (Boophilus microplus)

Dalgliesh, R.J. & Mellors, L.T. 1974. Survival of the parasitic protozoan, Babesia bigemina, in blood cooled at widely different rates to -196°C. International Journal for Parasitology 4: 169-172 (Bos taurus)

Dalgliesh, R.J. & Stewart, N.P. 1982. Some effects of time, temperature and feeding on infection rates with Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina in Boophilus microplus larvae. International Journal for Parasitology 12: 323-326 (Boophilus microplus; Bos taurus)

Dalrymple, B.P. 1993. Molecular variation and diversity in candidate vaccine antigens from Babesia. Acta Tropica 53: 227-238 (Bos taurus)

Dalrymple, B.P., Dimmock, C.M., Parrodi, F. & Wright, I.G. 1992. Babesia bovis, Babesia bigemina, Babesia canis, Babesia microti and Babesia rodhaini: comparison of ribosomal RNA gene organization. International Journal for Parasitology 22: 851-855 (Bos taurus)

Daly, G.D. & Hall, W.T.K. 1955. A note on the susceptibility of British and some Zebu-type cattle to tick fever (babesiosis). Australian Veterinary Journal 31: 152 (Bos taurus indicus; Bos taurus)

Dodd, S. 1909. Report of the Principal Veterinary Surgeon and Bacteriologist. Annual Report of the Department of Agriculture and Stock Queensland 1908-09: 81-105 (Bos taurus)

Dodd, S. 1910. Piroplasmosis of cattle in Queensland. Journal of Comparative Pathology and Therapeutics 23: 141-160 (Bos taurus)

Filmer, J.F. 1931. Some notes on piroplasmosis in Western Australia. Australian Veterinary Journal 7: 138-141 (Bos taurus)

Goodger, B.V. 1971. Preparation and preliminary assessment of purified antigens in the passive haemagglutination test for bovine babesiosis. Australian Veterinary Journal 47: 251-256 (Bos taurus)

Goodger, B.V. 1973. Further studies of haemagglutinating antigens of Babesia bigemina. Australian Veterinary Journal 49: 81-84 (Bos taurus)

Hall, W.T.K., Tammemagi, L. & Johnston, L.A.Y. 1968. Bovine babesiosis: the immunity of calves to Babesia argentina infection. Australian Veterinary Journal 44: 259-264 (Bos taurus)

Hoyte, H.M.D. 1961. Initial development of infections with Babesia bigemina. Journal of Protozoology 8: 462-466 (Bos taurus)

Hoyte, H.M.D. 1965. Further observations on the initial development of infections with Babesia bigemina. Journal of Protozoology 12: 83-85 (Bos taurus)

Hoyte, H.M.D. 1971. Differential diagnosis of Babesia argentina and Babesia bigemina infections in cattle using thin blood smears and brain smears. Australian Veterinary Journal 47: 248-250 (Bos taurus)

Hoyte, H.M.D. 1976. The tick-fever parasites of cattle. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland 87: 5-13 (Bos taurus)

Hunt, J.S. & Collins, W. 1896. Report on tick fever. Report of Special Commission of Queensland Government to USA. Government Printer, Brisbane. (Bos taurus)

Johnston, L.A.Y. 1968. The incidence of clinical babesiosis in cattle in Queensland. Australian Veterinary Journal 44: 265-267 (Bos taurus)

Johnston, L.A.Y., Leatch, G. & Jones, P.N. 1978. The duration of latent infection and functional immunity in Droughtmaster and Hereford cattle following natural infection with Babesia argentina and Babesia bigemina. Australian Veterinary Journal 54: 14-18 (Bos taurus)

Johnston, L.A.Y., Trueman, K.F. & Pearson, R.D. 1977. Bovine babesiosis: comparison of fluorescent antibody and Giemsa staining in post-mortem diagnosis of infection. Australian Veterinary Journal 53: 222-226 (Bos taurus)

Johnston, T.H. 1916. A census of the endoparasites recorded as occurring in Queensland, arranged under their hosts. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland 28: 31-79 (Boophilus microplus)

Jorgensen, K., DeVos, A.J. & Dalgliesh, R.J. 1989. Infectivity of cryopreserved Babesia bovis, Babesia bigemina and Anaplasma centrale for cattle after thawing, dilution and incubation at 30oC. Veterinary Microbiology 31: 243-251 (Bos taurus)

Jorgensen, W.K., Bock, R.E., Kingston, T.G., DeVos, A.J. & Waldron, S.J. 1993. Assessment of tetracycline and Babesia culture supernatant as prophylactics for moderating reactions in cattle to live Babesia and Anaplasma vaccines. Australian Veterinary Journal 70: 35-36 (Bos taurus)

Jorgensen, W.K., DeVos, A.J. & Dalgliesh, R.J. 1989. Comparison of immunogenicity and virulence between Babesia bigemina parasites from continuous culture and from a splenectomised calf. Australian Veterinary Journal 66: 371-372 (Bos taurus)

Jorgensen, W.K., Waldrom, S.J., McGrath, J., Roman, R.J., de Vos, A.J. & Williams, K.E. 1992. Growth of Babesia bigemina parasites in suspension cultures for vaccine production. Parasitology Research 78: 423-426 (Bos taurus)

Kakoma, I. & Mehlhorn, H. 1994. Babesia of domestic animals. pp. 141-216 in Kreier, J.P. (ed.). Parasitic Protozoa. San Diego : Academic Press 2. (Bos taurus)

Legg, J. 1926. Can the catte tick Haemaphysalis bispinosa act as the carrier of piroplasmosis (Piroplasma bigeminum)? An experimental enquiry. Australian Journal of Experimantal Biology and Medical Science 3: 203-216 (Boophilus microplus)

Legg, J. 1928. Some notes on babesiosis (Babesia bigeminum) of cattle. Australian Veterinary Journal 4: 98-103 (Bos taurus)

Legg, J. 1931. The value of the blood of recovered cattle in redwater innoculation. Australian Veterinary Journal 7: 70-74 (Bos taurus)

Legg, J. 1933. A brief review of the Piroplasms, with special reference to the types found in Australian redwater. Australian Veterinary Journal 9: 14-19 (Bos taurus)

Legg, J. 1936. The treatment of piroplasmosis (P. begeminum) with akiron. Australian Veterinary Journal 12: 227-230 (Bos taurus)

Legg, J. 1939. Recent observations on the premunization of cattle against tick-fevers in Queensland. Australian Veterinary Journal 15: 46-53 (Bos taurus)

Ludford, C.G. 1969. Fluorescent antibody staining of four Babesia species. Experimental Parasitology 24: 327-335 (Bos taurus)

Mackerras, M.J. 1958. Catalogue of Australian mammals and their recorded internal parasites. Part I. Monotremes and marsupials. Part II. Eutheria. Part III. Introduced herbivora and the domestic pig. Part IV. Man. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 83: 101-160 (Bos taurus)

Mackerras, M.J. 1959. The haematozoa of Australian mammals. Australian Journal of Zoology 7: 105-135 (Bos taurus)

Mahoney, D.F. 1962. Bovine babesiosis: diagnosis of infection by a complement fixation test. Australian Veterinary Journal 38: 48-52 (Bos taurus)

Mahoney, D.F. 1962. The epidemiology of babesiosis in cattle. Australian Journal of Science 24: 310-313 (Bos taurus)

Mahoney, D.F. 1964. Bovine babesiosis: an assessment of the significance of complement fixing antibody based upon experimental infection. Australian Veterinary Journal 40: 369-375 (Bos taurus)

Mahoney, D.F. 1966. Circulating antigens in cattle infected with Babesia bigemina or B. argentina. Nature 211: 422 (Bos taurus)

Mahoney, D.F. 1967. Bovine babesiosis: preparation and assessment of complement fixing antigens. Experimental Parasitology 20: 232-241 (Bos taurus)

Mahoney, D.F. 1969. Bovine babesaisis: a study of factors concerned in transmission. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology 63: 1-15 (Bos taurus)

Mahoney, D.F. 1977. Babesia of domestic animals. pp. 1-52 in Kreier, J.P. (ed.). Parasitic Protozoa. New York : Academic Press. (Bos taurus)

Mahoney, D.F., Wright, I.G. & Mirre, G.B. 1973. Bovine babesiasis: the persistence of immunity to Babesia argentina and B. bigemina in calves (Bos taurus) after naturally acquired infection. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology 67: 197-203 (Bos taurus)

Mahoney, D.F. & Mirre, G.B. 1971. Bovine babesiasis: estimation of infection rates in the tick vector Boophilus microplus (Canestrini). Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology 65: 309-317 (Boophilus microplus)

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Mahoney, D.F. & Saal, J.R. 1961. Bovine babesiosis: thick blood films for the detection of parasitaemia. Australian Veterinary Journal 37: 44-47 (Bos taurus)

Mellors, L.T., Dlgliesh, R.J., Timms, P., Rodwell, B.J. & Callow, L.L. 1982. Preparation and laboratory testing of a frozen vaccine containing Babesia bovis, Babesia bigemina and Anaplasma centrale. Research in Veterinary Science 32: 194-197 (Bos taurus)

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History of changes