Babesiosis

Babesiosis is a malaria-like parasitic disease caused by Babesia, a genus of protozoal piroplasms. After trypanosomes, Babesia are thought to be the second most common blood parasites of mammals and they can have a major impact on health of domestic animals in areas without severe winters. Human babesiosis is uncommon, but reported cases have risen recently because of expanded medical awareness.

Most cases of babesiosis resolve without any specific treatment. For ill patients, treatment is usually a two-drug regimen. The regimen of quinine and clindamycin has been used, but is often poorly tolerated; recent evidence suggests that a regimen of atovaquone and azithromycin can be equally effective . In life-threatening cases, exchange transfusion is performed. In this procedure, the infected red blood cells are removed and replaced with fresh ones.
Veterinary treatment of Babesiosis does not normally use antibiotics. In animals diminazene (Berenil), imidocarb or trypan blue would be the drugs of choice for treatment of Babesia canis rossi (Dogs in Africa), Babesia bovis, and Babesia bigemina (cattle in Southern Africa).
There is a vaccine that is effective against Babesia canis canis (dogs in the mediterranean region) but this is ineffective against Babesia canis rossi. Babesia imitans causes a mild form of the disease that frequently resolves without treatment (dogs in South East Asia).