IN-VITRO ISOLATION AND CULTIVATION OF A BABESIA FROM AN AMERICAN WOODLAND CARIBOU (RANGIFER TARANDUS CARIBOU)

A Babesia species isolated from a captive caribou (Rangifer tarandus c aribou) with clinical signs of babesiosis and a circulating parasitemi a was cultured in vitro. Normal adult caribou erythrocytes supported t he growth of the Babesia sp., as did erythrocytes from white-tailed de er (Odocoileus virginianus). Two basal media (M-199 and RPMI-1640) and a defined medium (HL-1) each supplemented with adult bovine serum wer e compared. The most favorable growth of the parasite occurred in HL-1 medium with 20% adult bovine serum. The morphology of this Babesia sp . isolate shared some characteristics with B. odocoilei and B. diverge ns.