Dataset Information

Porcine Babesiosis Caused by Babesia sp. Suis in a Pot-Bellied Pig in South Africa.

ABSTRACT: Babesiosis is a worldwide, tick-borne disease of economic importance in livestock caused by Babesia spp., which are hemoparasitic piroplasms that target the host erythrocytes. Cattle, dogs, small ruminants, and wild ruminants are the species most commonly affected, while in cats, horses, and pigs, it is less frequently reported. Although babesiosis has been observed worldwide, porcine babesiosis remains an uncommon disease with a very limited number of cases reported. Here, we describe a case in a 12-year old pot-bellied pig from South Africa that died after a history of anorexia and reluctance to rise for 2 days. A complete necropsy, blood smear cytology, reverse line blot (RLB) hybridization and 18S rRNA sequencing were performed. Numerous Babesia spp. hemoparasites and a moderate regenerative anemia were identified on blood smear, and a urine dipstick test yielded 4+ heme. Diffuse icterus and splenomegaly were observed upon gross examination. Histopathology revealed hemoglobin casts within renal tubules and collecting ducts, pulmonary edema, splenic congestion, and intrahepatic cholestasis. BLASTN homology of the 18SrRNA sequence revealed a 100% identity to the published sequence of Babesia sp. Suis isolated from pigs in Italy. This case of babesiosis in a pig highlights the clinical manifestations and gross and pathological findings of porcine babesiosis.

SUBMITTER: Avenant A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7815520 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Porcine Babesiosis Caused by <i>Babesia</i> sp. Suis in a Pot-Bellied Pig in South Africa.

Avenant Alida A Park Janice Y JY Vorster Ilse I Mitchell Emily P EP Arenas-Gamboa Angela M AM

Frontiers in veterinary science 20210106

Babesiosis is a worldwide, tick-borne disease of economic importance in livestock caused by <i>Babesia</i> spp., which are hemoparasitic piroplasms that target the host erythrocytes. Cattle, dogs, small ruminants, and wild ruminants are the species most commonly affected, while in cats, horses, and pigs, it is less frequently reported. Although babesiosis has been observed worldwide, porcine babesiosis remains an uncommon disease with a very limited number of cases reported. Here, we describe a ...[more]

PMID: 33490140

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Project description:BackgroundFeline babesiosis, sporadically reported from various countries, is of major clinical significance in South Africa, particularly in certain coastal areas. Babesia felis, B. leo, B. lengau and B. microti have been reported from domestic cats in South Africa. Blood specimens from domestic cats (n = 18) showing clinical signs consistent with feline babesiosis and confirmed to harbour Babesia spp. piroplasms by microscopy of blood smears and/or reverse line blot (RLB) hybridization were further investigated. Twelve of the RLB-positive specimens had reacted with the Babesia genus-specific probe only, which would suggest the presence of a novel or previously undescribed Babesia species. The aim of this study was to characterise these organisms using 18S rRNA gene sequence analysis.ResultsThe parasite 18S rRNA gene was cloned and sequenced from genomic DNA from blood samples. Assembled sequences were used to construct similarity matrices and phylogenetic relationships with known Babesia spp. Fifty-five 18S rRNA gene sequences were obtained. Sequences from 6 cats were most closely related to published B. felis sequences (99-100% sequence identity), while sequences from 5 cats were most closely related to B. leo sequences (99-100% sequence identity). One of these was the first record of B. leo in Mozambique. One sequence had 100% sequence identity with the published B. microti Otsu strain. The most significant finding was that sequences from 7 cats constituted a novel Babesia group with 96% identity to Babesia spp. previously recorded from a maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus), a raccoon (Procyon lotor) from the USA and feral raccoons from Japan, as well as from ticks collected from dogs in Japan.ConclusionsBabesia leo was unambiguously linked to babesiosis in cats. Our results indicate the presence of a novel potentially pathogenic Babesia sp. in felids in South Africa, which is not closely related to B. felis, B. lengau and B. leo, the species known to be pathogenic to cats in South Africa. Due to the lack of an appropriate type-specimen, we refrain from describing a new species but refer to the novel organism as Babesia sp. cat Western Cape.

Project description:Babesiosis caused by the virulent tick-borne hemoprotozoan, Babesia rossi, results in a marked systemic inflammatory host response in dogs. Neutrophils form part of the innate immune response and contains myeloperoxidase (MPO) as the predominant component of the neutrophil lysosomal protein in azurophilic granules. The neutrophil myeloperoxidase index (MPXI), determined on the ADVIA hematology analyzer, is a quantitative estimate of intracellular MPO content. Objectives of this study were to: (a) compare MPXI in dogs with babesiosis with healthy control dogs; (b) compare MPXI in dogs that died from babesiosis with dogs that survived and controls; and (c) correlate the MPXI with the previously determined segmented and band neutrophil count and cytokine concentrations in dogs with babesiosis. Data for 140 dogs naturally infected with B. rossi and 20 healthy control dogs were retrospectively evaluated. Neutrophil counts and MPXI were determined on an ADVIA 2120 analyzer. Cytokine concentrations [interleukin (IL)-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-18, granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and monocyte chemo-attractant protein-1 (MCP-1)] were determined using a canine-specific multiplex immunoassay. The mortality rate of the Babesia-infected dogs was 11% (15/140). MPXI was significantly higher in Babesia-infected dogs (P = 0.033), and in Babesia-infected non-survivors (P = 0.011), compared with healthy control dogs. In Babesia-infected dogs a significant positive correlation was found between MPXI and IL-10 (r = 0.211, P = 0.039) and a significant negative correlation was found between MPXI and IL-8 (r = -0.350, P < 0.001). In Babesia-infected non-survivors, significant positive correlations were found between MPXI and IL-2 (r = 0.616, P = 0.033), IL-6 (r = 0.615, P = 0.033), IL-18 (r = 0.613, P = 0.034), GM-CSF (r = 0.630, P = 0.028), and MCP-1 (r = 0.713, P = 0.009). In Babesia-infected survivors, a significant negative correlation was found between MPXI and IL-8 (r = -0.363, P = 0.001). MPXI was correlated with pro-inflammatory cytokines in Babesia-infected dogs that died. The potential of MPXI as a novel marker of inflammation and prognosis in dogs infected with B. rossi, thus warrants further investigation.

Dataset Information

Porcine Babesiosis Caused by Babesia sp. Suis in a Pot-Bellied Pig in South Africa.

Publications

Porcine Babesiosis Caused by <i>Babesia</i> sp. Suis in a Pot-Bellied Pig in South Africa.

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