Azotemia and mortality among Babesia microti-like infected dogs.
Babesia microti-like piroplasms are a recently recognized cause of illness in dogs in northwest Spain. Our objective was to describe the clinical characteristics and investigate the risk factors for azotemia and death among 58 B microti-like infected dogs. Twenty-one of the 58 (36%) dogs were azotemic at the time that the infection was diagnosed. The case fatality rate during the following week was 22%. Dogs with azotemia at the time of diagnosis were 10 times (95% CI, 3.26-28.8) more likely to die during the following week. Azotemia was the main cause of death for B microti-like infected dogs (attributable fraction = 90%). Severe anemia was present in 45 of the 58 (78%) dogs. Azotemic dogs also presented with hyperphosphatemia, hypoalbuminemia, hypercholesterolemia, proteinuria, and high urine protein: creatinine ratios, suggesting a glomerular component to the disease. Age was the only factor significantly associated with the risk of azotemia (P = .042): on average, a 4-year age increase doubled the risk of an infected dog being azotemic. The only factor significantly associated with mortality was azotemia (P = .001). We concluded that B microti-like infection is associated with a high risk of azotemia and mortality.
Camacho
A Tomas
AT
Laboratorio Lema & Bandín, Calle Lepanto 5, bajo, 36201 Vigo, Spain. atcamacho@teleline.es
Guitian
E Javier
EJ
Pallas
Estrella
E
Gestal
Juan Jesus
JJ
Olmeda
A Sonia
AS
Goethert
Heidi K
HK
Telford
Sam R
SR
Spielman
Andrew
A
D000818:Animals; D041001:Babesia microti / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D001772:Blood Cell Count / Q000662:veterinary; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011996:Records / Q000662:veterinary; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014511:Uremia / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*