Prevalence and risk factors of Babesia species in domestic herbivores in China: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Babesia species are tick-transmitted hemoprotozoa that infect mammals, birds, and humans, posing a significant global threat to veterinary medicine threat. In this study, the authors systematically retrieved articles on the occurrence of Babesia species in domestic herbivores in China, including ovine, bovine, and equine species, through a search in the following six databases from their inception to 4 November 2024: PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, and VIP Chinese Journal Database. A total of 94 studies (54 high-quality studies, 40 medium-quality studies) from 28 provinces were included. The pooled prevalence of Babesia infection was 11% in ovines, 12% in bovines, and 18% in equines, with significant differences observed across subgroups, including, region, species, longitude, temperature, and season. Infection prevalence was higher in East and Central China, particularly in Hunan, Fujian, and Ningxia, as well as in regions characterized by lower altitude, higher temperature, and higher humidity. Longitude and season were significantly associated with Babesia infection in equines (p < 0.05), while temperature analysis indicated a significant difference (p < 0.05) in Babesia infection in bovines. In addition, infection rates were higher in female animals than in male animals; rates were also higher in 2013 or before in comparison to later sampling years. Moreover, the infection rates of different Babesia species varied significantly in bovines. These findings highlight key epidemiological patterns and potential risk factors, including regional and environmental influences associated with Babesia infection in domestic herbivores in China; thus, the findings of this study provide a solid foundation for developing targeted prevention and control strategies that can aim to mitigate the impact of babesiosis in domestic herbivores.