"Babesia odocoilei Misconceptions"

Some Information In The Three Paragraphs Below Is Incorrect And Is Seen In Current Research Journals.  Below These First Three Paragraphs Are The Incorrect Statements Followed By The Correct Information. 

Babesia odocoilei was first reported from white-tailed deer in New Mexico in 1958 and was later detected in Texas, Oklahoma and Virginia. Ixodes scapularis appears to be the primary vector based on experimental transstadial studies. 

Deer appear to suffer little or no clinical problems as a result of infection. There is no indication that this organism has any impact on deer health or survival. 

Diagnosis is based on finding the piroplasms in Giemsa stained blood films or by in vitro cultivation techniques. Most natural infections are characterized by low level parasitemia and often occur with concomitant Theileria cervi infections. 

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At least a portion of the statements below are incorrect as demonstrated by Dr. Harold Ray Emerson in the original work done on this organism in deer between July, 1966 and July, 1968.  

"Incorrect"

<<<Babesia odocoilei was first reported from white-tailed deer in New Mexico in 1958 and was later detected in Texas, Oklahoma and Virginia.>>> 

"Correct"

A Babesia was isolated from deer in New Mexico in 1958, however that organism was not identified as anything other than  Babesia spp. because it was lost before extensive research could be done on it to determine where it was placed in the babesia spp.  There was no organism named Babesia odocoilei until I isolated, did the original research on, and named this organism(Babesia odocoilei) during the period between July, 1966 and July, 1968.  This research was done at Texas A&M University under the auspices of the Department of Veterinary Pathology where the newly identified and named organism formed the basis of my research and thesis(A Clinical, Histopathological And Immunofluorescent Study Of Babesia Spp. Infection In White-Tailed Deer)for my Masters of Veterinary Pathology degree. 

Because the New Mexico Babesia was lost to research, I was never able to determine if it was truly the same organism or another similar blood parasite.

"Incorrect"

<<<Deer appear to suffer little or no clinical problems as a result of infection. There is no indication that this organism has any impact on deer health or survival.>>> 

"Correct"

The reason I initiated the initial study was the history of heavy deer losses in East Texas during the years prior to 1966.  The history was that of deer losses associated with stressed deer in a wild setting.  On my initial trip to that region, I harvested several animals whose blood samples formed the basis for a 3 year period of deer Babesia research.  Animals at the time of sacrifice were extremely emaciated and had many ticks, a circumstance not unusual for that area during that time of year(summer). 

Blood samples from deer collected at the time showed severe anemia which was due to tick loads, nutrition levels and the activity of the Babesia parasite. 

In a research setting, splenectomized deer developed severe anemia, while intact, well fed deer were able to survive the infection given time, good nutrition, no additional stress, and no tick infestation. 

In the wild where poor nutrition, tick infestations and concurrent blood parasite infestations are the norm, Babesia odocoilei was a factor in deer survival and hunting success in the region. 

<<<Diagnosis is based on finding the piroplasms in Giemsa stained blood films or by in vitro cultivation techniques. Most natural infections are characterized by low level parasitemia and often occur with concomitant Theileria cervi infections.>>> 

During the period of initial study and thereafter, wild Babesia odocoilei infected deer did have low levels of parasitemia, however those deer also had very low hematocrit levels, too.  Blood taken from wild deer and introduced IV into pen raised, splenectomized deer produced overwhelming babesia infections within only a few days.  The same procedure used on intact deer resulted in a parasitemia of varying levels, but as I stated above, these well cared for deer did not die. 

Attempts to transfer Babesia odocoilei to cattle were unsuccessful.  Doses of babesia infected blood were introduced into both intact and splenectomized stocker calves, and no clinical symptoms or hematologic changes were noted.

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