One Health approach to identify research needs in bovine and human babesioses: workshop report.
BACKGROUND
Babesia are emerging health threats to humans and animals in the United States. A collaborative effort of multiple disciplines to attain optimal health for people, animals and our environment, otherwise known as the One Health concept, was taken during a research workshop held in April 2009 to identify gaps in scientific knowledge regarding babesioses. The impetus for this analysis was the increased risk for outbreaks of bovine babesiosis, also known as Texas cattle fever, associated with the re-infestation of the U.S. by cattle fever ticks.


RESULTS
The involvement of wildlife in the ecology of cattle fever ticks jeopardizes the ability of state and federal agencies to keep the national herd free of Texas cattle fever. Similarly, there has been a progressive increase in the number of cases of human babesiosis over the past 25 years due to an increase in the white-tailed deer population. Human babesiosis due to cattle-associated Babesia divergens and Babesia divergens-like organisms have begun to appear in residents of the United States. Research needs for human and bovine babesioses were identified and are presented herein.


CONCLUSIONS
The translation of this research is expected to provide veterinary and public health systems with the tools to mitigate the impact of bovine and human babesioses. However, economic, political, and social commitments are urgently required, including increased national funding for animal and human Babesia research, to prevent the re-establishment of cattle fever ticks and the increasing problem of human babesiosis in the United States.
Pérez de León
Adalberto A
AA
Knipling-Bushland U,S, Livestock Insects Research Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Kerrville, TX, USA. beto.perez.de.leon@ars.usda.gov.
Strickman
Daniel A
DA
Knowles
Donald P
DP
Fish
Durland
D
Thacker
Eileen
E
de la Fuente
José
J
Krause
Peter J
PJ
Wikel
Stephen K
SK
Miller
Ryan S
RS
Wagner
Gale G
GG
Almazán
Consuelo
C
Hillman
Robert
R
Messenger
Matthew T
MT
Ugstad
Paul O
PO
Duhaime
Roberta A
RA
Teel
Pete D
PD
Ortega-Santos
Alfonso
A
Hewitt
David G
DG
Bowers
Edwin J
EJ
Bent
Stephen J
SJ
Cochran
Matt H
MH
McElwain
Terry F
TF
Scoles
Glen A
GA
Suarez
Carlos E
CE
Davey
Ronald
R
Howell Freeman
Jeanne M
JM
Lohmeyer
Kimberly
K
Li
Andrew Y
AY
Guerrero
Felix D
FD
Kammlah
Diane M
DM
Phillips
Pamela
P
Pound
Joe M
JM