Serum protein response and renal failure in canine Babesia annae infection

Abstract

-Babesia annae piroplasms have recently been recognised as a cause of infection and disease among dogs in Europe. The pathogenesis and clinical implications of this emerging disease remain poorly understood. We conducted this study to describe the electrophoretic profiles associated with the infection and to determine if B. annae associated azotaemia is caused by renal failure. We examined by microscopy 2 979 canine blood samples submitted to a diagnostic laboratory in NW Spain between September 2001 and April 2002. Small ring-shaped piroplasms were detected in blood smears of 87 samples and the identity of 58 of these presumptive cases were confirmed by PCR. This group of 58 infected dogs and a reference group of 15 healthy non-infected dogs were our study population. For all the dogs, serum protein response to -albumin, alpha-1 globulin, alpha-2 globulin, beta globulin and gamma globulin-was measured by capillary electrophoresis. The response of infected and non-infected dogs was compared and within infected dogs, the response of those with azotaemia (19) was compared with that of non-azotaemic dogs (39). Infected dogs presented a significant elevation of total proteins and all the different globulin fractions, and significantly lower levels of albumin compared to non-infected dogs. Among infected dogs, those presenting azotaemia had significantly lower concentrations of total proteins, albumin, beta and gamma globulins, and significantly higher values of alpha-2 globulin. Specific gravity was below the threshold of 1 025 for all dogs with azotaemia for which a urine sample was available (7) suggesting that azotaemia, in these dogs was of renal origin. Azotaemic dogs had higher concentrations of cholesterol and triglycerides, probably as a result of a liver compensatory response to the loss of proteins. We conclude that serum protein response in B. annae infected dogs corresponds to the pattern of a haemolytic syndrome with intense inflammatory reaction and that the azotaemia associated to the infection is very likely of renal origin. serum proteins / Babesia annae / azotaemia / renal failure

Babesiosis due to the canine Babesia microti-like small piroplasm in dogs - first report from Portugal and possible vertical transmission

“…A severe regenerative haemolytic anemia and moderate to severe thrombocytopenia are common findings among dogs infected with the B. microti -like piroplasm [60,61]. In the present report, the three dogs had regenerative anaemia, based on reticulocyte count (performed only for the bitch), presence of polychromasia, anisocytosis and nucleated RBC.…”

Serum protein alterations in dogs naturally infected with Toxoplasma gondii

“…On the other hand, we have observed hypoalbuminemia with lower A/G ratio in infected dogs. Similarly, decreases of albumin have been observed in canine Babesia annae infection (Camacho et al 2005). Low albumin concentra- tion indicates impaired liver functions.…”

Serum protein pattern in ewe with pregnancy toxemia

“…However, no significant correlations were found between serum globulin concentrations and enzyme activities in preeclamptic group. Several investigators have demonstrated the usefulness of serum protein electrophoresis for the initial evaluation of various clinical or pathological conditions in animals (Harrus et al 1996;Altintas et al 2001;Giordano et al 2004;Camacho et al 2005). Numerous studies have focused on mediators associated with the metabolic changes arising in ewe pregnacy toxemia (Marteniuk and Herdt 1988;Scott et al 1995;Harmeyer and Schlumbohm 2006), however, there are no data regarding a serum protein pattern in ewes with pregnancy toxemia.…”

“…Although a specific diagnosis can rarely be made with serum protein electrophoresis, processes of diseases can be recognized by serum protein patterns and alterations to these patterns are associated with a variety of different conditions and diseases (Ritzman and Daniels 1982). It has been established that the serum protein patterns are changed in viral (Giordano et al 2004), bacterial (Harrus et al 1996) and parasitological (Camacho et al 2005) infections of animals. Several studies have focused on various metabolic alterations arising in the ewe pregnancy toxemia (Cantley et al 1991;Henze et al 1994;Sargison et al 1994;Harmeyer and Schlumbohm 2006).…”