Men, mice and maltese crosses: Implications of the discovery of zoonotic Babesiosis in Australia

Irwin, P.J., Senanayake, S.N. and Paparini, A. (2012) Men, mice and maltese crosses: Implications of the discovery of zoonotic Babesiosis in Australia. In: Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases (ASID): Zoonoses Conference 2012, 27 - 28 July, Sydney, Australia.

Abstract

Protozoa of the genus Babesia (Piroplasmida, Apicomplexa) are the second most common blood-borne parasites of mammals after the borne parasites of mammals after the trypanosomes. Over 100 species have been identified, infecting many mammalian and some avian species. Babesias are the aetiological agents of babesiosis, a tick-transmitted disease causing substantial losses of livestock and companion animals worldwide. Human babesiosis is a globally emerging zoonosis. Its clinical symptoms include: fever, fatigue, headache, chills, neck stiffness, accompanied by erythrocytelysis, and possibly organ failure. With exceptions, human babesiosis, is caused predominantly by B. microti (USA) and B. divergens (Europe). Babesiamicroti has a Holarctic (N.Hemisphere) distribution and has never before been identified in Australia.

Publication Type:	Conference Item
Murdoch Affiliation:	School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences
URI:	http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/10306

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