| Babesia gibsoni are
small being pleomorphic lacks the usual pyriform trophozoites;
however signet ring, annular, oval or band like forms are
common. Haemaphysalis bispinosa and R. sanguineus
have been incriminated as vectors.
Transmission
Transmission of Babesia is by the bite of
infected ticks and it multiplies by repeated binary fission
within the RBC’s resulting in merozoites.
Symptoms of Babesiosis
The severity of the disease varies with the
species and strain of the parasite. Babesia canis infection
may cause rise in temperature, capricious appetite
or complete refusal to take food and water, listlessness,
malaise and anemia. Constipation
is noticed in the initial stages followed by blood
stained diarrhea in advanced cases. Jaundice
is common while hemoglobinuria is rarely observed.
Babesia gibsoni causes chronic type
of disease, which shows remissions, and relapses
of fever with progressive anemia. Splenomegaly
and hepatomegaly are common. The dog is reduced
to skeleton and has staggering gait.
Cereberal Babesiosis
Death usually occurs due to respiratory
failure in acute cases and circulatory failure in chronic
cases. CNS manifestations are referred as
cereberal babesiosis. Signs may include seizures,
weakness and ataxia and
are thought to be cause by sludging of parasitised erythrocytes
within capillaries of the CNS with subsequent hypoxia.
|
