COMPARATIVE MORPHOLOGICAL AND CROSS TRANSMISSION STUDIES WITH BOVINE AND DEER BABESIAS IN IRELAND

A babesia from wild sika deer in Ireland and Babesia capreoli from red deer in Scotland were isolated in experimental splenectomised sika deer and, together with B. divergens (the bovine piroplasm), they were compared in morphological, serological and transmission studies. Despite slight morphological differences, the Irish isolate was indistinguishable from B. capreoli, and B. divergens and B. capreoli seem to be closely related but distinct species. Important cross infection between deer and cattle with these species is unlikely to occur (even though they are both transmitted by the tick Ixodes ricinus). Infections of B. capreoli were established in sika deer with some difficulty; this suggests that parasite is not well-adapted to this introduced deer species. The low serological prevalence in sika compared with red deer supports this interpretation. © 1990.