Korean J Parasitol.  2011 Dec;49(4):437-440. 10.3347/kjp.2011.49.4.437.

Detection of Babesia spp. in Free-Ranging Pukus, Kobus vardonii, on a Game Ranch in Zambia

• Munang'andu HM
• Munyeme M
• Nambota AM
• Nalubamba
• Siamudaala VM

• KMID: 1715753
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2011.49.4.437

Abstract

Babesia spp. were detected from 4 asymptomatic pukus captured on a game ranch in central Zambia in October 2008. Blood smears were examined in 4 species of aymptomatic free-ranging antelopes, namely the puku (Kobus vordanii), reedbuck (Redunca arundinum), bushbuck (Tragelaphus sylvaticus), and kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros), and showed the presence of Babesia parasites only in the puku. In the puku, the prevalence of babesiosis was estimated at 33.3% (n=12), while the overall prevalence in all examined animals was 8.5% (n=47). The parasites showed morphological characteristics of paired ring-like stages with the length varying between 1.61 microm and 3.02 microm (mean=2.12 microm, n=27; SD=0.76 microm). Both the infected and non-infected pukus showed good body condition scores (BCS), while the dominant tick species detected from all animals were Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, Rhipicephalus spp., and Boophilus spp. To our knowledge this is the first report of Babesia spp. infection in pukus in Zambia. These findings suggest that wildlife could play an important role in the epidemiology of babesiosis in Zambia.

Keyword

Babesia sp.; prevalence; puku; antelope; Zambia

MeSH Terms

Animals
Animals, Wild/parasitology
Antelopes/*parasitology
Arachnid Vectors/classification
Asymptomatic Diseases
Babesia/*isolation & purification/ultrastructure
Babesiosis/epidemiology/transmission/*veterinary
Erythrocytes/parasitology
Prevalence
Rhipicephalus/classification
Tick Infestations/epidemiology/parasitology/veterinary
Ticks/parasitology
Zambia/epidemiology