Effect of dexamethasone on babesiasis in hamsters.
Three subcutaneous injections of 0.20 mg of dexamethasone/kg of body weight caused a substantial increase in Babesia microti-parasitized RBC of hamsters, indicating that this was a useful method for revealing the presence of latent infections. A relative neutrophilia, lymphocytopenia, and eosinopenia were also seen in the long-term B microti-infected carrier hamsters after 0.20 mg or 0.02 mg of dexamethasone/kg. Noninfected hamsters treated with dexamethasone had a neutrophilic leukocytosis and a transient lymphocytopenia. Spleen to body weight ratios of noninfected hamsters decreased significantly (P less than 0.02) after 4 injections with either dosage level. These ratios did not significantly (P greater than 0.05) decrease in dexamethasone-treated infected hamsters.
D000818:Animals; D001403:Babesia / Q000254:growth & development; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*; D002353:Carrier State / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D006224:Cricetinae; D003907:Dexamethasone; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000187:drug effects; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000469:parasitology; D008231:Lymphopenia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects
D003907:Dexamethasone