Babesia gibsoni is a tick borne intraerythrocytic protozoan parasite causing piroplasmosis in dogs and has been
predominantly reported in Asian countries, including Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Bangladesh and India.
The present communication is the first evidence on the genetic diversity of B. gibsoni of dogs in India. Blood
samples were collected from 164 dogs in north and northeast states of India and 13 dogs (7.9%) were found
positive for B. gibsoni infection bymicroscopic examination of blood smears.Molecular confirmation of thesemi-
croscopic positive cases for B. gibsoni was carried out by 18S rRNA nested-PCR, followed by sequencing. Nested-
PCR for the 18S rRNA gene was also carried out on microscopically B. gibsoni negative samples that detected a
higher percentage of dogs (28.6%) infectedwith B. gibsoni. Genetic diversity in B. gibsoni in Indiawas determined
by studying B. gibsoni thrombospondin-related adhesive protein (BgTRAP) gene fragments (855 bp) in 19 isolates
from four north and northeast states of India. Phylogenetic analysis of the BgTRAP gene revealed that B. gibsoni
parasite in India and Bangladesh formed a distinct cluster away from other Asian B. gibsoni isolates available
from Japan, Taiwan and Korea. In addition, tandem repeat analysis of the BgTRAP gene clearly showed consider-
able genetic variation among Indian isolates that was shared by B. gibsoni isolates of Bangladesh. These results
suggested that B. gibsoni parasites in a different genetic clade are endemic in dogs in India and Bangladesh.
Further studies are required for better understanding of the genetic diversity of B. gibsoni prevalent in India
and in its neighbouring countries.