In the present study the haematological and serological changes showed by horses experimentally infected with B. equi, during diffèrent infection stages and after chemotherapy parasite sterilization, are reported. Ten horses clinically healthy and serologically negative for Babesia spp were inoculated with B. equi and treated with babesicidal drugs during ascending parasitemia. After the treatment the horses were separated in two groups: carriers, which developed the chronic babesial infection, and sterilized horses, which the parasites were eliminated. During the whole experiment, hematocrit, parasitemia and antibody titers were monitored to characterize its dinamics in the acute and chronical babesial infection, as well as after elimination of parasites.
equine babesiosis; Babesia equi; diagnosis
