Babesia caballi

Babesia caballi

Babesia caballi is a tick-borne protozoan parasite that causes equine piroplasmosis, a notifiable disease in many countries and a significant concern for international movement of horses.

It is transmitted primarily by Dermacentor, Rhipicephalus, and Hyalomma ticks, and often co-infects horses with Theileria equi.

Clinical signs may include:

• Fever, anorexia, and anaemia
• Icterus (jaundice), haemoglobinuria
• Poor performance or recurrent colic-like signs
• Subclinical carriers that appear healthy but remain infectious

qPCR testing provides:

• Sensitive and specific detection of Babesia caballi DNA from whole blood (EDTA)
• Identification of both clinical cases and subclinical carriers, essential for export testing and outbreak management
• Faster and more definitive than blood smears, particularly in low-parasitaemia cases

This test is critical for:

• Disease confirmation in symptomatic horses
• Pre-export screening
• Eradication programs in endemic areas

Accurate detection supports biosecurity, international certification, and appropriate treatment protocols using anti-protozoal agents.