Epidemiology of tick-borne diseases of cattle in Zimbabwe. I. Babesiosis.

A survey on the incidence of antibodies to Babesia bigemina and Babesia bovis in one to three year old calves at 274 localities in Zimbabwe revealed that B. bigemina occurred throughout the country together with its main vector, Boophilus decoloratus. The distribution of B. bovis followed closely that of its vector Boophilus microplus which is limited to the eastern part of the country. Enzootic stability for B. bigemina was recorded in most of the communal tribal areas where regular dipping of cattle had been interrupted for several years but was less common on commercial farms where regular dipping is practised. Enzootic stability for B. bovis was restricted to a few localities in communal areas and the parasite was rare on commercial farms.