| Summary: | Apicomplexan parasites of the genus <i>Babesia</i> cause babesiosis in humans and animals. The microscopic examination of stained blood smears, detection of serum antibodies by immunoassays, and PCR-based identification of parasite nucleic acid in blood are common laboratory methods for diagnosing babesiosis. The present study evaluated a commercially available <i>Babesia</i> genus-specific fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) test for detecting <i>Babesia</i> parasites in blood smears. The FISH test detected <i>Babesia duncani</i> and <i>Babesia microti</i>, two common species that cause human infections in the USA, and other <i>Babesia</i> species of human and veterinary importance in less than two hours. The <i>Babesia</i> genus-specific FISH test supplements other existing laboratory methods for diagnosing babesiosis and may be particularly useful in resource-limited laboratories.
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