National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine帯広畜産大学原虫病研究センター

Piroplasmas (Theileria and Babesia) are tick-borne protozoa that cause piroplasmosis, which is a disease characterized by hemolytic anemia, in domestic animals, such as cattle and horses. Piroplasmosis is one of the major diseases, leading to serious economic damage to the cattle and equine industry. However, there are no effective methods to control the bovine and equine piroplasmosis. Therefore, our research interest focuses on the development of innovative methods to control this disease for improving animal health and reducing economic damage. In particular, we conduct the risk assessments to formulate disease control guidelines and train young researchers from endemic countries under our human resource development program. We are now working toward expanding our international collaborative network to expedite the research on piroplasmosis. The International Organization for Animal Health (OIE) has accredited our laboratory as OIE Reference Laboratory for bovine babesiosis and equine piroplasmosis. Using this platform, we have expanded our services to the international community worldwide.

• Global surveillance of bovine and equine piroplasmosis
• Molecular epidemiological and clinicopathological investigations on bovine piroplasmosis in Japan
• Molecular epidemiological survey of cervine piroplasmas
• Epidemiology of bovine piroplasmas in tick vectors
• Basic research to develop diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive methods for bovine and equine piroplasmosis