An atypical case of Babesia bigemina parasitising a dog from a rural area of eastern Mexico

• Autor(a) principal: Bravo-Ramos,José Luis
• Data de Publicação: 2022
• Outros Autores: Sánchez-Montes,Sokani, Ballados-González,Gerardo Gabriel, Romero-Salas,Dora, Gamboa-Prieto,Jannete, Olivares-Muñoz,Angélica
• Tipo de documento: Relatório
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária (Online)
• Texto Completo: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1984-29612022000300401
• topic: Piroplasms; tick-borne disease; phylogenetic analysis; canine babesiosis

Abstract A dog that shared habitat with domestic animals in a cattle farm and that was exposed to wildlife was taken to a private practitioner for clinical examination. The analyses conducted on the patient revealed the presence of Babesia bigemina by a molecular test. Clinical signs such as lethargy, anorexia and hyperthermia > 39 °C, pale mucous membranes and blood urine were observed in the patient. The animal was treated with imidocarb dipropionate (two doses each 0.5 ml/10 kg b.w. at an interval of 14 days). On treatment day 7, the clinical signs were mostly reduced. On day 30, PCR was carried out to assess the efficacy of the treatment, with a negative result. This case represents the first report of babesiosis due to B. bigemina in a dog living on a cattle farm in Mexico. It indicates the lower host specify of these pathogens and that dogs can play a role as sentinels of vector-borne parasites in livestock animals.