Therapeutic management of concomitant Theileria orientalis and Babesia bovis infection in a crossbred Jersey cow

Babesiosis and theileriosis are the two most economically important tick-borne diseases of cattle, worldwide. One of the causative agents for babesiosis is the protozoan parasite of Babesia bovis, where as Theileria orientalis (also known historically as T. sergenti and T. buffeli) is responsible for benign or non-transforming theileriosis and exerts its major effect through erythrocyte destruction. In this case report, we provide the diagnosis and therapeutic management of a Jersey crossbred cow suffering from a mixed infection of B. bovis and T. orientalis. Peripheral blood smears revealed rod or comma shaped organisms of Theileria and small single or paired piroplasms similar to Babesia. The haematology revealed, packed cell volume (PCV) 22% and haemoglobin concentration (Hb) 7.2 g/dl. Confirmatory diagnosis of B. bovis and T. orientalis was done by PCR. The animal was treated with diminazene aceturate and oxytetracycline, along with supportive therapy and improvement in Hb level and % PCV was observed by two weeks after initiation of therapy.