Clinico diagnostic and therapeutic management of Babesia gibsoni infection in dogs

Introduction

Canine babesiosis is one of the most widespread haemoprotozoan diseases of domesticated and wild canidae. The species of Babesia canis and Babesia gibsoni commonly infect dogs. Canine Babesiosis is a vector borne haemoprotozoal disease which is transmitted by arthropod tick vectors of Ixodes species. They are prevalent throughout Asia with Babesia canis being more predominant and Babesia gibsoni being the 2 nd most prevalent. Babesia gibsoni is prevalent throughout the year, more in seasons when the vector population is more. Fighting dogs are considered a reservoir of infection (Karasová et al 2022). Canine babesiosis is clinically manifested by varied degrees of anaemia because this haemoprotozoan occurs as a single piroplasm in the infected erythrocytes and cause premature destruction of mature erythrocytes. Along with pronounced anaemia other clinical signs seen in Babesiosis are fever, pallor, jaundice, haemoglobinuria, splenomegaly and weakness. Canine babesiosis can be well diagnosed by demonstration of organism by means of making a thin blood film at the peak of pyrexia. Similarly the disease can be diagnosed by other advanced modalities which reduce the timelapse of confirmatory diagnosis like Rapid Antigen test and RTPCR. The primary aim of therapy for canine babesiosis is to reduce the grave anemia caused due to the destruction of erythrocytes. The therapy involves destruction and elimination of haemoprotozoan parasite from the body with the use of anti haemoprotozoan and specifically antibabesian drugs. The main aim of this article is to enlighten the accurate diagnosis, successful medical management of Babesiosis, specifically Babesia gibsoni infection in dogs.

Materials and Methods

10 cases were identified and investigated during this study. The 10 dogs which were showing clinical signs suggestive of canine babesiosis like profound anaemia, weakness, fatigue, haemoglobinuria, splenomegaly formed the clinical material for the study. Blood samples of these dogs were examined for identification of the haemoprotozoans in the blood smear. Blood smear of the suspected animals was stained with Giemsa stain and observed under oil immersion objective. In positive cases Babesial piroplasms were observed inside erythrocytes. Secondly, the same blood sample was subjected for complete blood picture examination by auto hematoanalyzer to enumerate and analyse the changes of various blood parameters in this infection and also to correlate the correction of these parameters towards healthy levels in response to the therapy. The Rapid Antigen Test is based on sandwich lateral flow immunochromatographic assay. Whole blood was centrifuged to get serum. 1 drop of prepared serum was added into the sample hole through a capillary dropper and then 3 drops of assay buffer was added into the sample hole and result was analysed after 5 minutes. Appearance of both C line and T line was considered positive for Babesia gibsoni infection.

Ultrasonography revealing spleenomegaly in a suspected dog.

Picture revealing bilurubinuria in a suspected dog.

Rapid Antigen Test Kit used for screening Babesia Gibsoni RAT kit depicting positive for Babesia gibsoni infection Further the animals tested positive for Babesiosis in Rapid Antigen Test, RTPCR were randomly divided into 2 groups. Diminazine aceturate @ 3.5 mg/kg body weight was administered as intramuscular injection on the first day, second dose was repeated after 48 hrs of the first dose in 5 dogs (Group-I) whereas dogs of the other group (Group-II) were treated with inj. Buparvaquone @ 5 mg/kg bodyweight intramuscularly in 2 doses with 48 hours apart starting on the first day and Tab Azithromycin @ 10 mg/kg b.wt perorally for ten consecutive days. In all these 10 dogs, oral haematinic suspension (Fecofol suspension) was given daily @10 ml SID for 10 days.

Diagnosis

Babesia gibsoni were found in RBCs in the blood smears of all the ten dogs. Intraerythrocytic merozoites of small Babesia spp. were microscopically detected in the blood smears of all dogs which were PCR-positive for piroplasms (Barbara et al 2021). They have also tested positive for Babesiosis in Rapid Antigen Test, RTPCR. Complete blood picture examination revealed significantly low levels of Hb, PCV, TEC and platelets counts. Decrease in Hb levels were in agreement with reports of Andoni et al. [1,2] , Furlanello et al. [4] , Shah et al. [9] , Niwetpathomwat et al. [6] , Selvaraj et al. [8] , Wadhwa et al. [34] , Reddy et al. [7] , and Nalubamba et al. [5] Decreased PCV levels in dogs with babesiosis were in agreement with reports of Andoni et al. [1,2] , Furlanello et al. [4] , Shah et al. [9] , Niwetpathomwat et al. [6] , Selvaraj et al. [8] , Wadhwa et al. [10] , Reddy et al. [7] , and Nalubamba et al. [5] . Decreased TEC levels were in accordance with reports of Andoni et al. [1,2] , Niwetpathomwat et al. [6] , Shah et al. [9] , Reddy et al. [7] , and Nalubamba et al. [5] . Decreased platelet counts in babesiosis were in agreement with reports of Furlanello et al. [4] , Niwetpathomwat et al. [6] , Shah et al. [9] , Wadhwa et al. [10] , Andoni et al. [1,2] , Reddy et al. [7] , Nalubamba et al. [5] , and Vishnurahav et al. [11] . Serum biochemical profile of the 10 dogs revealed decrease in the levels of Albumin and A/G ratio. These results were in accordance with Vishnurahav et al. [11] , Yadav et al. [13] and Vijayalakshmi et al. [12] .

Treatment

Diminazine aceturate (Berenil RTU) @ 3.5 mg/kg body weight was administered as intramuscular injection on the first day, second dose was repeated after 48 hrs of the first dose in 5 dogs (Group-I) whereas dogs of the other group (Group-II) were treated with inj. Buparvaquone (Butalex) @ 5 mg/kg body weight intramuscularly in 2 doses with 48 hours apart starting on the first day in adjunct to Azithromycin(Azee) @ 10 mg/kg b.wt perorally for ten consecutive days. In all these 10 dogs, oral haematinic suspension (Fecofol suspension) was given daily @10 ml SID for 10 days.

Results and Discussion

Haemogram of Group I dogs

Parameters

Healthy dog values 0 day values 5 th day values in Group I dogs 10 th day values in Group I dogs Hemoglobin (g/dL) It is evident from the results given in table that the time taken for correction of various blood parameters is less in group II dogs when compared with group I dogs. This study reveals that Buparvaquone @ 5 mg/kg body weight given in 2 doses with 48 hours gap in combination with Azithromycin @ 10 mg/kg for 10 days is effective in reducing anemia and regaining normalcy in dogs infected with Babesia gibsoni. The results were in agreement with Checa et al., 2017 [3]

Acknowledgement

AcknowledgementThe authors are thankful to PV Narasimha Rao Telangana Veterinary University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad for their cooperation in carrying out the research work.

References

1. Andoni E, Rapti D, Postoli R, Zalla P. Hematologic changes in dogs naturally infected with Babesia. Albanian J Agric Sci. 2012;11:3.
2. Andoni E, Rapti D, Postoli R, Dimco E, Abeshi J. Clinicopathological findings in dogs naturally infected with Babesia spp. Albanian J Agric Sci. 2013;12(2):185-189.
3. Tuska-Szalay B, Vizi Z, Hofmann-Lehmann R, Vajdovich P, Takács N, Meli ML, et al. Babesia gibsoni emerging with high prevalence and co-infections in "fighting dogs" in Hungary. Curr Res Parasitol VectorBorne Dis. 2021;8(1):100048.
4. Checa R, Montoya A, Ortega N, González-Fraga JL, Bartolomé A, Gálvez R, et al. Efficacy, safety and tolerance of imidocarb dipropionate versus atovaquone or buparvaquone plus azithromycin used to treat sick dogs naturally infected with the Babesia microti-like piroplasm. Parasites Vectors. 2017;10(1):1-12.
5. Furlanello T, Fiorio F, Caldin M, Lubas G, SolanoGallego L. Clinicopathological findings in naturally occurring cases of babesiosis caused by large form Babesia from dogs of northeastern Italy. Vet Parasitol. 2005;134:77-85.
6. Karasová M, Tóthová C, Grelová S, Fialkovičová M. The etiology, incidence, pathogenesis, diagnostics, and treatment of canine babesiosis caused by Babesia gibsoni infection. Animals (Basel). 2022;12(6):739. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12060739
7. Nalubamba KS, Mudenda NB, Namwila MM, Mulenga CS, Bwalya EC, Kandawire EM, et al. A study of naturally acquired canine babesiosis caused by single and mixed Babesia species in Zambia: clinicopathological findings and case management. J Parasitol Res. 2015;9:236-249.
8. Niwetpathomwat A, Somporn L, Suvarnavibhaja S, Assarasakorn S. A retrospective study of clinical hematology and biochemistry of canine babesiosis on hospital populations in Bangkok, Thailand. Comp Clin Pathol. 2006;15(2):110-112.
9. Reddy BS, Sivajothi S, Reddy LSS, Raju KGS. Clinical and laboratory findings of Babesia infection in dogs. J Parasit Dis. 2014;92:268-272.
10. Selvaraj P, Kumar KS, Vairamuthu S, Prathaban S, Srinivasan SR. Babesia gibsoni: an emerging challenge in canine pediatric practice in Chennai, Tamilnadu. J Vet Anim Sci. 2010;6(3):122-124.
11. Shah SA, Sood N, Tumati SR. Haemato-biochemical changes in natural cases of canine babesiosis. Asian J Anim Sci. 2011;5(6):387-392.
12. Wadhwa DR, Pal B, Mandial RK, Kumar A, Agnihotri RK. Clinical, haemato-biochemical and therapeutic studies of canine babesiosis in Kangra valley of Himachal Pradesh. J Vet Parasitol. 2011;25(1):39-41.
13. Vishnurahav RB, Pillai UN, Alex PC, Ajitkumar S, Lusy S. Haemato-biochemical changes in canine babesiosis. Indian J Canine Pract. 2014;6:2.
14. Vijayalakshmi P, Srinivasan SR, Vairamuthu S, Mangalagowri A, Latha BR, Nambi AP. Clinico pathological features in dogs associated with babesiosis. Indian Vet J. 2014;91(4):21-22.
15. Yadav R, Gattani A, Gupta SR, Sharma CS. Jaundice in dog associated with babesiosis: a case report. Int J Agro Vet Med Sci. 2011;5(1):3-6.