Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Three cases of dog babesiosis from Babesia odocoilei-like parasites
By Yamasaki, Masahiro et al.·Published in Parasitology international·2021·Department of Veterinary Medicine, Japan·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Three cases of canine babesiosis caused by Babesia odocoilei-like parasites in Japan.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Three dogs in Japan were diagnosed with canine babesiosis, a disease caused by parasites transmitted through tick bites. These cases were unusual because the area is not known for this disease. Tests showed that two of the dogs were infected with a type of Babesia parasite that is similar to Babesia odocoilei, while one dog likely had a related infection. The specific treatment for these infections wasn't detailed, but recognizing the presence of these parasites is crucial for proper care. If you notice symptoms like fever, lethargy, or loss of appetite in your dog, it's important to consult your veterinarian.
People also search for: dog fever tick bite · canine babesiosis symptoms · Babesia odocoilei treatment
Abstract
Babesia odocoilei-like parasites were first reported in 2003, and their virulence and hosts remain unknown. We report three cases of dogs with canine babesiosis in Iwate Prefecture. Since Iwate Prefecture area is an area of Japan where canine babesiosis is not endemic, we suspected that these cases of canine babesiosis were caused by B. odocoilei-like parasites. In the present study, we tried to identify the Babesia species that caused these cases of canine babesiosis. To classify Babesia parasites, the heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) gene was examined. Accordingly, we cloned and analyzed the HSP70 gene sequences of B. odocoilei-like parasites from three Ixodes ovatus ticks. It was determined that the nucleotide sequence of the HSP70 gene of the B. odocoilei-like parasites was not consistent with that of B. odocoilei, which suggests that these parasites were from a different species than B. odocoilei. Second, we identified the Babesia species that infected the three dogs by using the HSP70 gene and 18S rRNA. A partial HSP70 gene of B. odocoilei-like parasites was detected in the three dogs, but that of B. gibsoni was not detected. Additionally, a partial sequence of 18S rRNA of B. odocoilei-like parasites was detected in two dogs. These results demonstrated that two dogs were certainly infected with B. odocoilei-like parasites and that one dog was probably infected with B. odocoilei-like parasites. Therefore, these dogs were diagnosed with canine babesiosis due to the presence of B. odocoilei-like parasites. As there were only three cases, additional cases are needed to confirm our findings.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34000423/