Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Better blood test for Babesia gibsoni infection in dogs using
By Aboge, G O et al.·Published in Parasitology·2007·Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Molecular characterization of a novel 32-kDa merozoite antigen of Babesia gibsoni with a better diagnostic performance by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A dog infected with Babesia gibsoni, a parasite that can cause anemia, was tested for antibodies using a new diagnostic tool based on a specific protein called BgP32. This test was able to detect the infection in a higher percentage of cases compared to an older test, showing that it could identify the disease more accurately. The BgP32 protein did not react with other similar parasites, making it a reliable option for diagnosing Babesia gibsoni infections in dogs. This advancement could help veterinarians better diagnose and treat affected dogs.
People also search for: dog anemia symptoms · Babesia gibsoni test for dogs · dog blood parasite diagnosis
Abstract
We cloned and expressed a novel gene encoding a 32-kDa merozoite protein of Babesia gibsoni (BgP32). The length of nucleotide sequence of the cDNA was 1464 bp with an open reading frame of 969 bp. The truncated recombinant BgP32 (rBgP32) without a signal peptide and C-terminal hydrophobic sequence was expressed in Escherichia coli as a soluble glutathione-S-transferase (GST) fusion protein. Western blotting demonstrated that the native protein was 32-kDa, consistent with molecular weight of the predicted mature polypeptide. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using rBgP32 detected specific antibodies from 8 days to 541 days post-infection in the sequential sera from a dog experimentally infected with B. gibsoni. Moreover, the antigen did not cross-react with B. canis subspecies and closely related protozoan parasites, indicating that rBgP32 is a specific diagnostic antigen. Analysis of 47 sera taken from dogs with anaemic signs revealed that rBgP32 detected a higher proportion of B. gibsoni seropositive samples (77%) than its previously identified rBgP50 (68%) homologue. These results indicate that the BgP32 is a novel immunodominant antigen of B. gibsoni, and rBgP32 might be useful for diagnosis of B. gibsoni infection.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17381888/