Babesia divergens: A Drive to Survive

Abstract

Babesia divergens is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite that causes zoonotic disease. Central to its pathogenesis is the ability of the parasite to invade host red blood cells of diverse species, and, once in the host blood stream, to manipulate the composition of its population to allow it to endure unfavorable conditions. Here we will review key in vitro studies relating to the survival strategies that B. divergens adopts during its intraerythrocytic development to persist and how proliferation is restored in the parasite population once optimum conditions return.