Blood parasites of sheep in the Netherlands. II. Babesia motasi (Sporozoa, Babesiidae)

A large Babesia species occurs in sheep on the North Sea islands of the Netherlands. The tick Haemaphysalis punctata is a vector. Its pathogenicity appears to be low. It is morphologically similar to a Turkish strain, considered to be B. motasi, which is also transmitted by Haemaphysalis ticks. It differs from the Turkish parasite serologically as well as in cross-immunity tests and in not being effective to goats. There may be a group of morphologically similar parasites with serological differences and different infectivity for sheep and goats. As it is impossible to know which one is to be considered as the original B. motasi, we designate the Dutch parasite as B. motasi (Netherlands). Anaplasma mesaeterum was found to occur on the island of Texel as well as on Ameland, where it had been found initially.