Microscopic study for prevalence of Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina in cattle in Mosul city

Abstract

The current study included examination of Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina in 300 blood smears stained with 5% of Giemsa stain which collected from cattle in Mosul city from both sexes with different ages, the total percentage of infection with Babesia spp was 42.33% and the percentage of B. bovis and B. bigemina 30.66% and 24.33%. The blood smears which stained with Giemsa stain contain 0.5% Triton X-100 appeared cleaner and easily recognized the blood cells and parasites. High percentage of infection was appeared with single infection with B. bovis was 42.51% followed by mixed infection with B. bovis and B. bigemina and infection with B. bigemina only was 29.92% and 27.55%. The results of this study showed no significant differences in the percentage of infection between males and females of cattle and different groups of ages at the significant level p<0.05.