LARGE-SCALE SURVEY OF BOVINE BABESIOSIS DUE TO BABESIA DIVERGENS IN FRANCE

Data on the epidemiology of bovine babesiosis in France were collected from two sources: a questionnaire sent to large animal veterinary sur geons and blood samples collected from cattle treated for clinical bab esiosis. Babesia divergens was common and widespread. B major was foun d in only one sample. The disease was particularly widespread in north west, south west and central France. The mean clinical incidence was 0.4 per cent. The bimodal seasonality of the clinical cases was correl ated with that of the tick vector (Ixodes ricinus). Of the affected an imals 72.6 per cent were more than three years old.