Detection of Zoonotic Babesia Species in Greater Accra, Ghana

Abstract

Babesia species are intra-erythrocytic protozoa of the phylum apicomplexa. They are either round or pear shaped, often characterized by a tetrad configuration (Maltese cross). The merozoite stage of Babesia spp have diagnostic significance and are found as intracellular inclusions of infected red blood cells. The trophozoite stages appear as ring forms which measure about 1.0 to 5.0μm. This parasite is transmitted by hard ticks and can cause a zoonotic disease known as babesiosis. Human babesiosis is usually asymptomatic except in immuno-compromised people in whom symptoms present like malaria, yet treatment for these two diseases is different. These similarities can increase the possibility of misdiagnosing a patient with malaria when he or she is really suffering from babesiosis or vice versa leading to an inappropriate treatment choice. Ghana is a malaria endemic country; thus, general malaise is usually treated as malaria. This study was conducted to detect Babesia sp in the blood of patients who had been diagnosed with malaria. There was screening for Babesia in cattle and dogs as well, in order to suggest a possible transmission of the parasite from these animals to humans since it is zoonotic. Whole blood samples were taken from One hundred and fifty (150) malaria positive cases, thirty (30) sick cattle and thirty-three (33) sick dogs. Microscopy (Giemsa stained thin smears) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were techniques employed for the detection of Babesia sp. Babesia infection was confirmed in nine (30%) cattle samples, one (3%) dog sample but none in humans. B. canis was found in the dog but the cattle Babesia sp were unspecified. Although Babesia infection was not detected in humans, there is the possibility of having zoonotic Babesia species in Accra, as long as Babesia was detected in cattle and dogs with which humans live in close proximity.