Probable congenital babesiosis in infant, new jersey, USA.

Only 2 neonates with transplacentally or perinatally acquired (congenital) babesiosis have been reported. We describe a probable third congenital case of babesiosis in a 26-day-old infant; transmission was determined on the basis of a blood smear from the infant (15% parasitemia) and serologic results from the infant and mother.

[Molecular diagnostic of congenital babesiosis in neonates foals from State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil]. / Diagnóstico molecular de babesiose congênita em potros neonatos no estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.

The aim of this study was to demonstrate, through nested PCR (nPCR) method, the occurrence of congenital babesiosis in two foals born of carrier mares. All mares were positive for T. equi based in visualization of intraerytrocytic parasites in blood smears, in indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and nPCR reactions. Just one mare was nPCR-positive for B. caballi. After the birth, all foals presented nPCR-positive for T. equi, while just one foal presented nPCR-positive for B. caballi. The present study prove the occurrence of congenital babesiosis in new-born foals, however, new studies are necessary to elucidate if the infection occur for transplacental transmission or in parturition moment.

Fatal experimental transplacental Babesia gibsoni infections in dogs.

A Babesia gibsoni infected bitch was mated with an uninfected dog in order to determine whether this parasite could be vertically transmitted. The bitch delivered a litter of four live and one stillborn pup. The four pups died from congenital babesiosis between 14 and 39 days post-birth. Babesia gibsoni DNA was detected in tissue from all five pups. These results show that vertical transmission occurred by the uterine route and not via the transmammary route. This is the first confirmed report of transplacental Babesia infection in any animal species.

Transmissäo congênita de Babesia bovis: relato de um caso autóctone em Minas Gerais - Brasil / Prenatal infection of calf with Babesia bovis: first autoctonous case in Brazil

It is discussed first autoctonous prenatal case of Babesia bovis in Brazil. After a normal birth a male Brown Swiss calf, had not sucked colostrum and died at three days after birth. Clinical and laboratory examinations revealed petechial hemorrhages in oral and conjuntival mucosas, red urine and parasitemia due to B. bovis as shown in blood smears Giemsa stained. Post-mortem examination revealed hepato-splenomegaly, congestion and edema in lungs, brain and kidneys. Optical and eletronic microscopies showed severe congestion, edema, red cells aglutination, and most of the erythrocites in the brain capillaries contained Babesia organisms, which were also detected outside the cells. In the kidneys interlobular interstitial nephritis, glomerulonephritis mesangioproliferative diffuse and rare parasites in the capillaries were observed. 1.8 per cent of the erythrocites in peripheral circulation were parasitized in the brain capillaries more than 90 per cent of those cells had Babesia organisms

Cerebral babesiosis in a new-born calf.

A case of intra-uterine transmission of Babesia bovis is reported. The calf was born normally but showed signs of intravascular haemolysis and nervous involvement 24 h after birth. It died shortly afterwards from cerebral babesiosis. The dam was not clinically affected.