Lonely Space: A Bit On FYP

Many people asked me about the title of my final year project. Just to share with fellow reader it is entitled :

Molecular Study Of Babesia Spp. In Canine Blood And Comparison Between Conventional And Molecular Diagnostic Methods.

Here's a bit on Babesia Spp.

Babesiosis is an important tropical tick-borne protozoan infection in dogs caused by a hemoprotozoan parasite of red blood cells of the genus Babesia. Canine babesiosis is an infection caused by tick-borne hematozoan Babesia canis or Babesia gibsoni, which occurs most commonly in southern United States, Arkansas, Florida, Arizona, and Oklahoma. Infections are most likely to occur in dogs less than 1 year of age. The disease is transmitted by Ixodid ticks. Once infected, the Babesia organisms multiply within erythrocytes. The infection has been associated with the "fading puppy syndrome". The infected erythrocytes (red blood cells) are destroyed which causes anemia.

Dogs that are bitten by or were biters of other dogs are more likely to be have the parasute, thus suggesting that blood-to-blood transmission contributes to the spread of this disease between dogs.

Signs of Babesiosis

Acute onset anemia occurs along with fever and lethargy. Although chronic infections occur, they are uncommon. Sudden death is a possible consequence of acute onset Babesia infection associated with low blood pressure shock and hypoxia. The wide variety of additional clinical signs depends on the tissues affected by the infection. Mild to severe pulmonary disease, diarrhea, vomiting, muscle pain, yellow-colored urine, rapid weight loss, eye discharge, and neurological signs are reported.

Diagnosis of Babesiosis

Diagnosis is based on the identification of the organism within the blood cells. Antibody titers are also important to recognize the infection. Antibody titering is a laboratory test that measures the presence and amount of antibodies in blood. The antibody level in the blood is a reflection of the past exposure to an antigen or to something that the body does not recognize as belonging to itself. The body uses antibodies to attack and remove foreign substances.