Zoonotic babesiosis: A One Health menace.

Babesiosis is a disease caused by species of Apicomplexan protozoa of the genus Babesia. Species of Babesia parasitize the red blood cells of mammals and may cause clinical disease with varying levels of morbidity or mortality. Babesia spp. are naturally maintained and transmitted in hosts through their respective hard tick vectors, and a range of domestic and wild mammals serve as reservoirs for these parasites. Humans may become accidentally infected by some species of Babesia through bites from infected ticks or through blood transfusions and organ transplants from infected donors. Depending on the immune status of the host, humans can either remain asymptomatic (thus acting as carrier hosts) or suffer from clinical disease with varying intensities. Several known species and unknown or novel species of Babesia are being reported to be associated with zoonotic infection and disease. This Chapter discusses the transmission, pathogenesis, epidemiology, treatment and control of zoonotic babesiosis.