Abstract
This study was aimed at the evaluation of the electrophoretic pattern of serum proteins in dogs naturally infected withBabesia canis. Blood samples were collected from 37 dogs infected withB. canisand showing clinical signs consistent with the disease. The sick animals were classified as dogs with physiologic and decreased red blood cell (RBC) values. Twenty-five healthy dogs formed the control group. The concentrations of total proteins and protein fractions were measured in blood serum. The values of total proteins, albumin and albumin/globulin (A/G) ratio in dogs with babesiosis were significantly lower than in healthy ones (P< 0.001). In the globulin fractions, significantly higher relative concentrations of α1-, β1- and β2-globulins (P< 0.01), and non-significantly higher values of α2- and γ-globulins were found in dogs with babesiosis with a double α2-zone in six out of 37 animals. Marked differences were observed also between the two groups of sick animals, with significantly lower values of albumin and A/G ratio (P< 0.05), and significantly higher values of α1- and β1-globulins in dogs with decreased RBC (P< 0.05 andP< 0.01, respectively). Presented results indicate marked alterations in the electrophoretic pattern of serum proteins in dogs with babesiosis suggesting its usefulness for the evaluation of pathophysiological changes caused by the disease and for diagnostic of disease severity.
Highlights
This study was aimed at the evaluation of the electrophoretic pattern of serum proteins in dogs naturally infected with Babesia canis
The relative concentrations of albumin were significantly lower in the dogs with babesiosis compared to healthy animals (P < 0.001), with significantly lower values in dogs with lower red blood cell (RBC) than in those with normal RBC (P < 0.05, Tables 1 and 2)
The results presented in our study showed lower concentrations of TP in dogs with babesiosis, with non-significantly lower values in animals with decreased RBC values
Summary
This study was aimed at the evaluation of the electrophoretic pattern of serum proteins in dogs naturally infected with Babesia canis. Presented results indicate marked alterations in the electrophoretic pattern of serum proteins in dogs with babesiosis suggesting its usefulness for the evaluation of pathophysiological changes caused by the disease and for diagnostic of disease severity. Canine babesiosis belongs to frequently occurring tick-transmitted diseases in Europe with a clinical importance and is predominantly caused by the haemoprotozoan apicomplexan parasite Babesia canis (Uilenberg 2006) It is characterized by erythrocyte destruction resulting in varying degrees of haemolytic anaemia with a wide variety of associated clinical signs, including fever, lethargy, pigmenturia, coagulopathies, icterus, pale mucous membranes, as well as enlarged lymph nodes and spleen, tremors and organ failure (Mathe et al 2006; Schoeman 2009). Clinic of Ruminants University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy Komenského 73, 041 81 Košice, Slovak Republic of major protein fractions between dogs with physiologic and decreased red blood cell (RBC) count caused by the infection
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