The use of tick transmission by Boophilus microplus to isolate pure strains of Babesia bovis, Babesia bigemina and Anaplasma marginale from cattle with mixed infections.

Pure strains of Babesia bovis, Babesia bigemina and Anaplasma marginale were isolated from cattle infected with all 3 species as well as Theileria sp. and Eperythrozoon teganodes, using only transmission by the tick, Boophilus microplus. Unengorged adult ticks transferred to susceptible cattle transmitted A. marginale, but not Babesia. Engorged adults gave rise to progeny that transmitted Babesia, B. bovis by larvae and B. bigemina by male ticks. The Theileria and E. teganodes were not transmitted by the ticks and thus did not appear in calves used for isolating the pure strains of Babesia and A. marginale.