Microscopic, serological and molecular detection of Babesia bigemina in buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) in Wasit province, Iraq

The goal of present study was to detect an incidence of Babesia bigemina in apparently healthy buffaloes using of three different diagnostic assays. An overall of 179 buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) in some rural regions in Wasit province /Iraq, were submitted for collection of blood samples during the period of December 2016 to February 2017. Initially, a thin blood smear slides were prepared and stained with Giemsa stain for microscopy, afterwards, the blood samples have been centrifuged for obtaining of serums and blood clots that examined by an indirect-ELISA and PCR, respectively. The overall results of testing all samples were revealed on 3 (1.68%), 46 (25.7%) and 21 (11.73%) positive animals by microscopy, indirect-ELISA and PCR, respectively. The significant differences (P£0.05) were showed between the results of three diagnostic tests, and within the cross-classification values of microscopy to indirect-ELISA, microscopy to PCR, and indirect-ELISA to PCR