Lymphocyte Subsets and Specific IgG Antibody Levels in Clindamycin-Treated and Untreated Dogs Experimentally Infected with Babesia gibsoni

Abstract

ABSTRACT. This study was carried out to clarify the role of lymphocyte subpopulations and Babesia-specific antibody on the treatment of clindamycin in dogs infected with B. gibsoni. Ten beagle dogs were divided into two groups: an untreated group (5 dogs) and a clindamycin-treated group (5 dogs), which was administered clindamycin at 25 mg/ kg body weight, per os, q 12 hr from 7 days to 21 d ays post-infection (PI). On the acute stage of infection, clindamycin treatment resolved anaemia and other clinical findings. There were no significant differences between treated and untreated dogs either in parasitemia levels or Babesial IgG antibody levels. However, morphological changes that indicated degeneration in the majority of parasites were observed. The numbers of CD4 + showed a significant increase in treated dogs, especially after treatment. On the chronic stage, CD4 + cells maintained high level both of the treated and untreated dogs. Although parasitemia maintained low level, their relapses were occurred on the 49th day PI in treated dogs and on the 42nd and 63rd PI in untreated dogs. A rapid humoral antibody response was observed in treated dogs, however, lower humoral anti body responses in untreated dogs after relapses. The antibody levels of treated dogs were significantly higher than those of untreated dogs. These results suggested that clindamycin might not eliminate rapidly parasites from peripheral blood, but damage parasites, whic h might stimulate efficiently humoral and cellular immunity against Babesia infection, and result in an improvement of clinical conditions.

A Possible Treatment Strategy and Clinical Factors to Estimate the Treatment Response in Bebesia gibsoni Infection

“…However, treatment with diminazene often fails to eliminate B. gibsoni from the affected dog, and a relapse of babeisosis is observed at high incidence even after a temporary improvement is obtained by the administration of diminazene. In addition, this therapy is considered to have a narrow margin of safety for dogs and occasionally induces severe adverse effects including hemorrhage in the cerebella, hepatotoxicity and necrosis at the injection site [6,26]. Because of these finding, a review for alternative therapies has recently been initiated.…”

“…However, a recent report showed the possible induction of drug resistant mutants of B. gibsoni against this treatment protocol [14,16]. Another candidate for anti-babesia therapy, clindamycin has also been evaluated in the fields of medicine and veterinary medicine [6,[24][25][26][27]. Clindamycin is one of the lincomycin antibiotics which has been shown to be effective against human babesiosis [25][26][27].…”

“…Another candidate for anti-babesia therapy, clindamycin has also been evaluated in the fields of medicine and veterinary medicine [6,[24][25][26][27]. Clindamycin is one of the lincomycin antibiotics which has been shown to be effective against human babesiosis [25][26][27]. However, it is suggested that treatment with clindamycin alone is not enough to eliminate the clinical symptoms and babesia in blood [25][26][27].…”

“…Clindamycin is one of the lincomycin antibiotics which has been shown to be effective against human babesiosis [25][26][27]. However, it is suggested that treatment with clindamycin alone is not enough to eliminate the clinical symptoms and babesia in blood [25][26][27]. Therefore other therapies, in addition to clindamycin, will be necessary to obtain a satisfactory anti-babesia effect.…”

Molecular Evidence of Infections withBabesia gibsoniParasites in Japan and Evaluation of the Diagnostic Potential of a Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Method

“…This disease in the dog has long been problematic in Japan, especially in the western region. Recently, the geographical range of infection has spread to the eastern region of Japan (19). However, no recent detailed data are available for B. gibsoni-infected dogs in Japan.…”