Abstract
Dogs that are infected with Babesia canis parasites usually show severe clinical signs, yet often very few parasites are detectable in the blood circulation. The results showed that large numbers of B. canis-infected red blood cells accumulate in the microvasculature of infected subjects. The initial process leading to the attachment of infected erythrocytes to the endothelial cells of small capillaries (sequestration) appears to involve the interaction of parasite molecules at the erythrocyte surface with ligands on the endothelial cells. Since parasites continue to develop in the sequestered erythrocyte, it would be expected that the infected erythrocyte is destroyed when the mature parasites escape the host cell, which would make it hard to explain accumulation of infected erythrocytes at the initial site of attachment. Apparently, additional processes are triggered that lead to consolidation of parasite sequestration. One possible explanation is that after initial attachment of an infected erythrocyte to the wall of a blood capillary, the coagulation system is involved in the trapping of infected and uninfected erythrocytes. The data further suggest that newly formed parasites subsequently infect normal red blood cells that are also trapped in the capillary, which finally leads to capillaries that appear to be loaded with infected erythrocytes.
Highlights
Dogs that are infected with Babesia parasites present a wide range of clinical manifestations, varying from circulatory shock to multi-organ dysfunction and additional complications [1,2,3]
Unravelling the sequence of events that leads to clinical disease is almost impossible from field cases, and results from the clinical practice usually pertain more to the agonal stage of disease
Mechanisms of Obstruction of Capillaries agglutinates. These agglutinates of infected erythrocytes have been observed in capillaries on Babesia parasites per infected erythrocyte (PE); #Par/RBC is the number of Babesia parasites that was detected in an infected red blood cell (RBC)
Summary
Dogs that are infected with Babesia parasites present a wide range of clinical manifestations, varying from circulatory shock to multi-organ dysfunction and additional complications [1,2,3]. The outcome of infection appears to be dependent on the number of parasites that infects the animal [7,8]. Many of these parameters are unknown when dogs are presented at the small animal practice. Controlled experimental infection with defined parasite isolates allows the study of the early events of Babesia infection and subsequent development of clinical disease
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
