What you need to know about Babesia canis

Babesiosis is a disease caused by the tickborne protozoan parasite Babesia species. There are a number of species within the Babesia family, including: Babesia canis canis, Babesia canis vogeli (from here on referred to as just Babesia canis and Babesia vogeli), Babesia gibsoni and Babesia (Theileria) annae. The two major tick species responsible for transmitting the disease are known to be Dermacentor reticulatus and Rhipicephalus sanguineus. D. reticulatus ticks are common throughout central and southern Europe, including some areas of the UK. R. sanguineus ticks are common in southern Europe but are not endemic in the UK where the climate does not suit their long-term survival outside, although imported ticks are reported to thrive in domestic environments in the UK under the right conditions. (Fisher and Halos, 2014; Stokes, 2015). Infection can lead to red cell lysis and immune-mediated disease, resulting in anaemia, icterus, lymphadenopathy, pyrexia, secondary renal and hepatic disease, and in severe cases, death.