Babesiosis

Babesiosis

 

Babesia gibsoni infection with evidence of a secondary IMHA (spherocytosis, hyperbilirubinemia, and severe anemia with a normal TS were all noted prior to the first blood transfusion; positive slide agglutination was not noted until after first blood transfusion).

 

Dogs become infected with Babesia spp. when they are inoculated with sporozoites in tick saliva. After inoculation, Babesia sporozoites invade erythrocytes where they multiply asexually by binary fission. The resultant merozoites rupture the red blood cell and go on to invade additional erythrocytes. The genus Babesia is distinguished from other hemosporidian genera by the absence of an exoerythrocytic stage in the vertebrate host.

 

Disease

• Dogs with babesiosis often present with moderate to severe hemolytic anemia and clinical illness characterized by fever, chills, anorexia, depression, pallor, splenomegaly, and a bounding pulse. However, disease is considered uncommon in healthy, spleen-intact adult dogs in the United States.

 

Prepatent Period and Environmental Factors

• Sporozoites enter the blood during tick feeding. Merozoites become evident within erythrocytes on blood smears in approximately 1 to 3 weeks.

Diagnosis

1. blood in urine

2. Giensa stain of blood

3. ELISA,  IFA, PCR

 

Prevention

1. Elimination of ticks

2. Tick repellent

3. Prevent dog fighting

 

Treatment

1. antibody treatment to remove the parasites

2. Alternative therapy

 - bood transfusion for severe anemia, Vit B12 and iron supplement

 - Good nutrients due to low red blood cells