Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Babesia canis passed from mother to puppies in Central Asian Shepherd
By Mierzejewska, Ewa J et al.·Published in Annals of agricultural and environmental medicine : AAEM·2014·Department of Parasitology·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: The first evidence for vertical transmission of Babesia canis in a litter of Central Asian Shepherd dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A litter of 6-week-old Central Asian Shepherd puppies showed signs of a tick-borne infection called babesiosis, which can be serious and even fatal. Blood tests revealed that three of the puppies were infected with Babesia canis, the same strain found in their mother, who appeared healthy but had an enlarged spleen. This suggests that the infection was passed from the mother to her puppies, marking the first evidence of vertical transmission of this disease in dogs. Treatment for the infected puppies would typically involve medications to combat the infection and supportive care.
People also search for: Central Asian Shepherd puppies babesiosis · dog tick-borne disease symptoms · how is babesiosis transmitted in dogs
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Tick-borne infections constitute an increasing health problem in dogs and may lead to death, especially in young or elderly individuals. Canine babesiosis constitutes a serious health problem in dogs worldwide. The aim of the study was to verify the probability of vertical transmission of Babesia canis between the bitch and the pups. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In Autumn 2011, cases of babesiosis were diagnosed in a litter of 6-week-old puppies of a Central Asian Shepherd dog. Immediately following the first case of infection, blood samples were collected from all the pups in the litter (n=10) and from the female. Detection of Babesia infection was performed by molecular and microscopical techniques. RESULTS: The presence of B. canis DNA was detected using PCR in three pups, presenting at the time or 24-48 hours later with babesiosis symptoms, and in their asymptomatic mother. The isolates derived from the pups and the female - 520 bp 18S rRNA gene fragment - were compared and analyzed. All isolates from the pups and their mother were identical and showed 100% homology with B. canis group B (EU622793), supporting the same source of infection. Additionally, the USG of the peritoneal cavity was performed in the female, presenting evidence for splenomegaly. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of (1) the same timing of three pup cases; (2) the identical B. canis sequences derived from all positive dogs; (3) evident splenomegaly in the asymptomatic female, this provides the first evidence of the vertical transmission of this piroplasm in dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25292117/