Authors: Avenant Alida, Park Janice Y, Vorster Ilse, Mitchell Emily P, Arenas-Gamboa Angela M
Journal: Frontiers in veterinary science
Summary
# Babesiosis in Pigs: A Rare but Clinically Significant Case Babesiosis, caused by Babesia spp. parasites that infect red blood cells, represents a significant economic threat to livestock worldwide, though equine cases remain uncommon and porcine cases exceptionally rare. Researchers in South Africa performed a comprehensive post-mortem investigation of a 12-year-old pot-bellied pig presenting with acute anorexia and inability to rise, employing blood smear cytology, reverse line blot hybridisation, 18S rRNA sequencing, and full histopathological examination to establish diagnosis and characterise pathology. The pig exhibited severe regenerative anaemia with marked parasitaemia, 4+ haem on urinalysis, gross icterus and splenomegaly, and histological evidence of haemoglobin casts obstructing renal tubules, pulmonary oedema, and splenic congestion—the genetic analysis definitively identifying Babesia sp. Suis with 100% sequence identity to a previously documented Italian isolate. Although equine practitioners are unlikely to encounter porcine babesiosis directly, understanding the clinical presentation and pathological cascade of this disease deepens knowledge of Babesia species pathogenesis across livestock species and underscores the importance of tick control measures in multispecies operations, particularly in endemic regions where cross-species transmission risk may exist.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Babesiosis should be considered in pigs presenting with acute anorexia, jaundice, and hemoglobinuria despite being uncommonly reported
- •Tick-borne parasitic disease risk exists even in pot-bellied pigs; endemic areas require awareness of Babesia sp. Suis circulation
- •Molecular sequencing (18S rRNA) provides definitive species identification for atypical or suspected babesiosis cases when microscopy is inconclusive
Key Findings
- •A 12-year-old pot-bellied pig died from babesiosis caused by Babesia sp. Suis with 100% sequence identity to Italian isolates
- •Clinical presentation included anorexia, reluctance to rise, diffuse icterus, splenomegaly, and moderate regenerative anemia
- •Pathological findings included hemoglobin casts in renal tubules, pulmonary edema, splenic congestion, and intrahepatic cholestasis
- •Diagnosis confirmed using blood smear cytology, reverse line blot hybridization, and 18S rRNA sequencing