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Serological diagnosis of babesiosis: A review

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Summary

In the last three decades some fundamental knowledge concerning the immunoserology ofBabesia spp. infections has led to the development of serological techniques which provide a means for studying the pathogenesis of babesiosis and the detection of animals with subclinical infections.

The antigens used in the serological procedures originated from the parasitised erythrocytes, plasma, and tissues of animals with acute babesiosis. Parasitic and serum soluble antigens were applied in a variety of serological tests, e.g., complement fixation, gel precipitation, agglutination, and fluorescent antibody, for detection ofBabesia spp. antibodies.

In this review an attempt was made to summarise and discuss the recent advances in the serodiagnosis of babesiosis, together with conditions where the use of serological methods may be valuable.

Résumé

Durant les trois derniéres décades, des découvertes fondamentales sur l'immunosérologie des infections áBabesia spp. ont conduit au développement de techniques sérologiques permettant l'étude de la pathogénése de la babeisose et la détection des animaux porteurs d'infections subcliniques.

Les antigénes utilisés dans les procédures sérologiques provenaient d'érythrocytes parasités, de plasma et de tissus d'animaux atteints de babésiose aiguë. Les antigénes parasites et solubles dans le sérum ont été utilisés pour une variété de tests sérologiques (fixation du complément, précipitation en gélose, agglutination et anticorps fluorescents) pour la détection des anticorps deBabesia spp.

Dans cette revue, un essai est tenté pour résumer et discuter les progrés récents dans le sérodiagnostic de la babésiose, en même temps que les conditions dans lesquelles I'utilisation des méthodes sérologiques peut être valable.

Resumen

En las últimas tres decadas conocimientos fundamentales concernientes a la immuno serologia de las infecciones porBabesia spp. han sido encominadas al desarrollo de técnicos serológicas que suministren medios para el estudio de la patogenesis de la babesiasis y para la identificación de animales con infecciones subclinicos. Los antigenos usados en los procedimientos serológicos fueron obtenidos de eritrocitos parasitados, plasma y tijidos de animales con babesiasis aguda. Antigenos solubles en el suero y parasitarios fueron usados en varias pruenas serológicas; ejemplo: fijación del complemento, precipitacion en gelatina, aglutinación y anticuerpos fluorescentes para la identificacion de anticuerpos contraBabesia spp.

En esta revisión se ha tralado de resumir y de descutir los avances recientes en el diagnóstico serológico de la babesiasis junto con las condiciones en las cuales el uso de metodos serológicos pueden ser de considerable valor.

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Author notes

  1. R. A. Todorovic

    Present address: CIAT, Apartado Aereo 67-13, Cali, Colombia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology and the Institute of Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Taxas A & M University, 77843, College Station, Texas

    R. A. Todorovic

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  1. R. A. Todorovic
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Additional information

This study was supported in part by the U.S. Agency for International Development (AID-csd-1947 grant) to the Institute of Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Texas A & M University, College Station, Texas 77843.

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Todorovic, R.A. Serological diagnosis of babesiosis: A review. Trop Anim Health Prod 7, 1–14 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02383236

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