Z. Parasitenk. 50, 345--347 (1976) 9 by Springer-Verlag 1976
Short Communication
Rediscovery of Koch's "StrahlenkSrper of Babesia bigemina * Karl T. Friedhoff and Gottfried Biischer Abteilung ffir Protozoologie, Institut fiir Parasitologie der Tier~rztlichen Hochschule Hannover Received June 29, 1976 The existence of sexual reproduction of Babesia spp. has never been demonstrated with certainty, although it has been described by earlier authors. The very first publications on the development of piroplasms contain excellent and detailed descriptions, drawings, and photographs of developmental stages of B. bigemina, B. canis, and Theileria parva (Koch, 1905, 1906; Kleine, 1906). Since then, the existence of some rather strange developmental stages, called "StrahlenkSrper" by Koch, has either been ignored or doubted. Upon the discovery of proposed sexual stages of Theileria parva (Schein, 1975; Schein et al., 1975) we decided to reexamine the development of B. bigemina in fully engorged female ticks (Boophilus microplus). I n three experiments with three splenectomized calves (Dcutsches Schwarzbuntes Rind) the same tick and Babesia strains were used as by Muangyai (1974). Only alimentary infections in previously negative ticks were studied. Further details on materials and methods will be published later. Developmental stages as shown in Figures 1 to 10 were detected in Giemsastained smears 7 to 19 h post replctioncm (p. repl.). The ticks were incubated at 28 ~ C during this post-repletion period. There was a multitude of different forms, six types are shown in this preliminary presentation: 1. Bizzare forms which contain one to several nuclei (Fig. 1). Several long and thin "Strahlen" (rays) originate from these forms. Some of the " S t r a h l e n " are too thin for photographic reproduction, others are quite conspicuous. The bizzare stages vary considerably in size. The stage shown in Figure 1 is one of the largest seen in our material. 2. Fission bodies with two or more nuclei, "spikes" and " S t r a h l e n " (Figs. 2-4). The nuclei are well stained. The "spikes" arise from pointed projections of the fission bodies. The "Strahlen" are of the same appearance as seen in Figure 1. 3. Polarized stages with one nucleus, one "spike" and " S t r a h l e n " (Figs. 5-7). These elongated stages are fairly uniform in size and shape: The " s p i k e " forms a pointed end. The " S t r a h l e n " arising from this end arc directed more or less laterally from the elongated cell, whereas the " S t r a h l e n " arising from the opposite end of the cell are directed more or less longitudinally. 4. Stages with two long "Strahlen" (Fig. 8). These stages typically contain one small nucleus and two large "Strahlen" which form a straight line in most cases. Sometimes the two "Strahlen" form obtuse to acute angles. * Unterstiitzt yon der DFG. Herrn Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c.J. Boch zum 60. Geburtstag gewidmet
346
Koch's "Strahlenl~Srper" of Babesia bigemina
Koch's "StrahlenkSrper" of Babesia bigemina
347
5. Spherical stages w i t h a p r o m i n e n t spike (Fig. 9). These stages c o n t a i n one nucleus a n d are r a t h e r uniform in size a n d shape. 6. Spherical stages w i t h one nucleus (Fig. 10). These stages differ considerab l y in size. The one shown in F i g u r e 10 is one of t h e smallest seen b y us. U p to now we c a n n o t suggest a chronological sequence of these d e v e l o p m e n t a l stages. Since G i e m s a - s t a i n e d smears o n l y were studied, we c a n n o t definitely describe m o r p h o l o g y a n d n u m b e r of t h e nuclei. The s a m e m e t h o d was used b y K o c h (1906); t h e striking s i m i l a r i t y of his d r a w i n g s (e.g. Fig. 16) with our p h o t o g r a p h s (e.g. Fig. 5) leaves no d o u b t on t h e i d e n t i t y of K o c h ' s " S t r a h l e n k S r p e r " with t h e stages shown b y us. P r e l i m i n a r y o b s e r v a t i o n s on t h e u l t r a s t r u c t u r e of these stages will be p u b l i s h e d elsewhere ( W e b e r a n d Friedhoff, in press). A l t h o u g h these findings give s t r o n g evidence for t h e existence of sexual reprod u c t i o n in B. bigemina, we are n o t y e t in t h e p o s i t i o n to e x p l a i n t h e significance of t h e d e s c r i b e d d e v e l o p m e n t a l stages.
References Kleine, F. K. : Kultivierungsversuch der Hundepiroplasmen. Z. Hyg. Infekt.-Kr. 54, 10-15 (1906) Koch, 1%.: Vorliiufige Mitteilungen fiber die Ergebnissc einer Forschungsreise nach Ostafrika. Dtsch. med. Wschr. 31, 1865-1869 (1905) Koch, 1%.: Beitr~ge zur Entwicklungsgeschichte der Piroplasmen. Z. Hyg. Infekt.-Kr. 54, 1-9 (1906) Muangyai, M. : Quantitative Untcrsuchungen zur transovarialen Infektion yon Boophilus microplus (Ixodoidea) mit Babesia bigemina (Piroplasmea). Vet.-med. Diss., Hannover (1974) Schein, E. : On the life cycle of Theileria annulata (Dschunkowsky and Luhs, 1904) in the midgut and hemolymph of Hyalomma anatolicum excavatum (Koch, 1844). Z. Parasitenk. 47, 165-167 (1975) Schein, E., Bfischer, G., Friedhoff, K. T. : Lichtmikroskopische Untersuchungen fiber die Entwicklung yon Theileria annulata (Dsehunkowsky und Luhs, 1904) in HyaIomma anatolicum excavatum (Koch, 1844). I. Entwicklung im Darm vollgesogener Nymphen. Z. Parasitenk. 48, 123-136 (1975) Prof. Dr. Karl T. Friedhoff Abteilung f fir Protozoologie Institut ftir Parasitologie der Tier~rztlichen Hochschule Hannover Btinteweg 17 D-3000 Hannover 71 Federal Republic of Germany Figs. 1-10. Babesia bigemina; Giemsa-stained smears from gut and gut content of engorged female ticks (Boophilus microplus). • 4,000 Fig. 1. Large "Strahlenk5rper" (7 to 8 h p. repl.) Figs. 2 and 4. Fission body (7 to 8 h p. repl.) Fig. 3. Fission body (14 h p. repl.) Figs. 5-7. Polarized stages (7 to 8 h p. repl.) Fig. 8. Stage with only two long "Strahlen" (7 to 8 h p. repl.) Fig. 9. Spherical stage with a prominent spike (14 h p. repl.) Fig. 10. Spherical stage with one nucleus (9 h p. repl.)
Short Communication
Rediscovery of Koch's "StrahlenkSrper of Babesia bigemina * Karl T. Friedhoff and Gottfried Biischer Abteilung ffir Protozoologie, Institut fiir Parasitologie der Tier~rztlichen Hochschule Hannover Received June 29, 1976 The existence of sexual reproduction of Babesia spp. has never been demonstrated with certainty, although it has been described by earlier authors. The very first publications on the development of piroplasms contain excellent and detailed descriptions, drawings, and photographs of developmental stages of B. bigemina, B. canis, and Theileria parva (Koch, 1905, 1906; Kleine, 1906). Since then, the existence of some rather strange developmental stages, called "StrahlenkSrper" by Koch, has either been ignored or doubted. Upon the discovery of proposed sexual stages of Theileria parva (Schein, 1975; Schein et al., 1975) we decided to reexamine the development of B. bigemina in fully engorged female ticks (Boophilus microplus). I n three experiments with three splenectomized calves (Dcutsches Schwarzbuntes Rind) the same tick and Babesia strains were used as by Muangyai (1974). Only alimentary infections in previously negative ticks were studied. Further details on materials and methods will be published later. Developmental stages as shown in Figures 1 to 10 were detected in Giemsastained smears 7 to 19 h post replctioncm (p. repl.). The ticks were incubated at 28 ~ C during this post-repletion period. There was a multitude of different forms, six types are shown in this preliminary presentation: 1. Bizzare forms which contain one to several nuclei (Fig. 1). Several long and thin "Strahlen" (rays) originate from these forms. Some of the " S t r a h l e n " are too thin for photographic reproduction, others are quite conspicuous. The bizzare stages vary considerably in size. The stage shown in Figure 1 is one of the largest seen in our material. 2. Fission bodies with two or more nuclei, "spikes" and " S t r a h l e n " (Figs. 2-4). The nuclei are well stained. The "spikes" arise from pointed projections of the fission bodies. The "Strahlen" are of the same appearance as seen in Figure 1. 3. Polarized stages with one nucleus, one "spike" and " S t r a h l e n " (Figs. 5-7). These elongated stages are fairly uniform in size and shape: The " s p i k e " forms a pointed end. The " S t r a h l e n " arising from this end arc directed more or less laterally from the elongated cell, whereas the " S t r a h l e n " arising from the opposite end of the cell are directed more or less longitudinally. 4. Stages with two long "Strahlen" (Fig. 8). These stages typically contain one small nucleus and two large "Strahlen" which form a straight line in most cases. Sometimes the two "Strahlen" form obtuse to acute angles. * Unterstiitzt yon der DFG. Herrn Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c.J. Boch zum 60. Geburtstag gewidmet
346
Koch's "Strahlenl~Srper" of Babesia bigemina
Koch's "StrahlenkSrper" of Babesia bigemina
347
5. Spherical stages w i t h a p r o m i n e n t spike (Fig. 9). These stages c o n t a i n one nucleus a n d are r a t h e r uniform in size a n d shape. 6. Spherical stages w i t h one nucleus (Fig. 10). These stages differ considerab l y in size. The one shown in F i g u r e 10 is one of t h e smallest seen b y us. U p to now we c a n n o t suggest a chronological sequence of these d e v e l o p m e n t a l stages. Since G i e m s a - s t a i n e d smears o n l y were studied, we c a n n o t definitely describe m o r p h o l o g y a n d n u m b e r of t h e nuclei. The s a m e m e t h o d was used b y K o c h (1906); t h e striking s i m i l a r i t y of his d r a w i n g s (e.g. Fig. 16) with our p h o t o g r a p h s (e.g. Fig. 5) leaves no d o u b t on t h e i d e n t i t y of K o c h ' s " S t r a h l e n k S r p e r " with t h e stages shown b y us. P r e l i m i n a r y o b s e r v a t i o n s on t h e u l t r a s t r u c t u r e of these stages will be p u b l i s h e d elsewhere ( W e b e r a n d Friedhoff, in press). A l t h o u g h these findings give s t r o n g evidence for t h e existence of sexual reprod u c t i o n in B. bigemina, we are n o t y e t in t h e p o s i t i o n to e x p l a i n t h e significance of t h e d e s c r i b e d d e v e l o p m e n t a l stages.
References Kleine, F. K. : Kultivierungsversuch der Hundepiroplasmen. Z. Hyg. Infekt.-Kr. 54, 10-15 (1906) Koch, 1%.: Vorliiufige Mitteilungen fiber die Ergebnissc einer Forschungsreise nach Ostafrika. Dtsch. med. Wschr. 31, 1865-1869 (1905) Koch, 1%.: Beitr~ge zur Entwicklungsgeschichte der Piroplasmen. Z. Hyg. Infekt.-Kr. 54, 1-9 (1906) Muangyai, M. : Quantitative Untcrsuchungen zur transovarialen Infektion yon Boophilus microplus (Ixodoidea) mit Babesia bigemina (Piroplasmea). Vet.-med. Diss., Hannover (1974) Schein, E. : On the life cycle of Theileria annulata (Dschunkowsky and Luhs, 1904) in the midgut and hemolymph of Hyalomma anatolicum excavatum (Koch, 1844). Z. Parasitenk. 47, 165-167 (1975) Schein, E., Bfischer, G., Friedhoff, K. T. : Lichtmikroskopische Untersuchungen fiber die Entwicklung yon Theileria annulata (Dsehunkowsky und Luhs, 1904) in HyaIomma anatolicum excavatum (Koch, 1844). I. Entwicklung im Darm vollgesogener Nymphen. Z. Parasitenk. 48, 123-136 (1975) Prof. Dr. Karl T. Friedhoff Abteilung f fir Protozoologie Institut ftir Parasitologie der Tier~rztlichen Hochschule Hannover Btinteweg 17 D-3000 Hannover 71 Federal Republic of Germany Figs. 1-10. Babesia bigemina; Giemsa-stained smears from gut and gut content of engorged female ticks (Boophilus microplus). • 4,000 Fig. 1. Large "Strahlenk5rper" (7 to 8 h p. repl.) Figs. 2 and 4. Fission body (7 to 8 h p. repl.) Fig. 3. Fission body (14 h p. repl.) Figs. 5-7. Polarized stages (7 to 8 h p. repl.) Fig. 8. Stage with only two long "Strahlen" (7 to 8 h p. repl.) Fig. 9. Spherical stage with a prominent spike (14 h p. repl.) Fig. 10. Spherical stage with one nucleus (9 h p. repl.)
