Serological diagnosis of babesiosis, a review

IN THE LAST THREE DECADES SOME FUNDAMENTAL KNOWLEDGE CONCERNING THE IMMUNOSEROLOGY OF BABESIA SPP. INFECTIONS HAS LED TO DEVELOPMENT OF SEROLOGICAL TECHNIQUES WHICH PROVIDE A MEANS OF STUDYING THE PATHO-GENESIS OF BABESIOSIS AND THE DETECTION OF ANIMALS WITH SUBCLINICAL INFECTIONS. THE ANTIGENS USED IN THE SEROLOGICAL PROCEDURES ORIGINATED FROM THE PARASITIZED ERYTHROCYTES, PLASMA, AND TISSUES OF ANIMALS WITH ACUTE BABESIOSIS. PARASITIC AND SERUM SOLUMBLE ANTIGENS WERE APPLIED IN A VARIETY OF SEROLOGICAL TESTS, E.G., COMPLEMENT FIXATION, GEL PRECIPITATION, AGGLUTINATION, AND FLUORESCENT ANTIBODY, FOR DETECTION OF BABESIA SPP. ANTIBODIES. THIS REVIEW SUMMARIZES AND DISCUSSES THE RECENT ADVANCES IN THE SERODIAGNOSIS OF BABESIOSIS, TOGETHER WITH CONDITIONS WHERE THE USE OF SEROLOGICAL METHODS MAY BE VALUABLE.