Hemolytic anemia caused by Babesia gibsoni infection in dogs.
Babesia gibsoni caused severe hemolytic anemia in 11 dogs from southern California. The most common clinical signs of B gibsoni infection were lethargy, anorexia, anemia, and thrombocytopenia. Acute infection with B gibsoni may be misdiagnosed as autoimmune hemolytic anemia. Diagnosis was most reliably determined by identification of the intraerythrocytic parasites on Giemsa-stained blood smears. The pathogenicity of B gibsoni, difficulties in diagnosis, the parasite's resistance to treatment with available drugs, and frequent interstate movement of dogs indicate that this disease may be a serious threat to dogs throughout the United States.
Conrad
P
P
Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis 95616.
Thomford
J
J
Yamane
I
I
Whiting
J
J
Bosma
L
L
Uno
T
T
Holshuh
H J
HJ
Shelly
S
S
D000743:Anemia, Hemolytic / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D004285:Dogs; D008297:Male