Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Babesia microti-like infection in Portuguese dogs including puppy
By Simões, Paula Brilhante et al.·Published in Parasites & vectors·2011·Inno-Serviç·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Babesiosis due to the canine Babesia microti-like small piroplasm in dogs-first report from Portugal and possible vertical transmission.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Three German shepherd dogs in Portugal showed signs of babesiosis, a tick-borne disease. A mother dog and her 2-month-old puppy, along with an unrelated male, were tested after being suspected of having the infection. Microscopy and DNA tests confirmed the presence of a small piroplasm, indicating they were infected. This case is significant as it marks the first confirmed instances of this specific infection in dogs in Portugal. The puppy likely contracted the infection either from its mother or through local ticks.
People also search for: dog babesiosis symptoms · German shepherd tick disease · puppy piroplasmosis treatment
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Canine babesiosis (or piroplasmosis) is endemic in northern Portugal, but molecularly confirmed cases of infection with small piroplasms have not been reported in the country. Three German shepherd dogs - a bitch and its 2-month old pup and an unrelated male - clinically suspected of piroplasmosis were assessed for babesial infection. RESULTS: Parasitemia with small piroplasms was detected by microscopy in two dogs. All three dogs were positive by PCR and the Babesia microti-like small piroplasm (syn. Theileria annae) was identified by DNA sequencing. These are the first confirmed cases of babesiosis caused by the B. microti-like piroplasm both in dogs from Portugal and in dogs suspected of clinical piroplasmosis outside of Spain. CONCLUSIONS: Although the bitch and the male had visited neighboring Galicia (northwestern Spain), where the disease is endemic, incursion of this piroplasm into northern Portugal is evident and infection of the non-traveled pup was due to either vertical transmission or autochthonous tick infection.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21489238/