Lecture 1 - Small Animal (Babesua and Cytaux)

Question 1

an apical complex allows a protozoa to do what

Answer 1

enter cells

Question 2

what are apicomplexan characteristics

Answer 2

1. apical complex
2. gliding motility
3. sexual and asexual reproduction

Question 3

what are piroplasms

Answer 3

1. intracellular, apicomplexan parasites
2. tick-transmitted
3. indirect life cycles
4. infect vertebrate blood cells

Question 4

what is the definite host of piroplasms? why?

Answer 4

ticks; asexual reproduction occurs in them

Question 5

what is the intermediate host of piroplasms? why?

Answer 5

vertebrates; only asexual reproduction occurs

Question 6

when piroplasms are identified in erythrocytes, they are classified as

Answer 6

large or small

Question 7

what piroplasms infect dogs

Answer 7

babesia gibsoni and vogeli

Question 8

what piroplasms infect cats

Answer 8

cytauxzoon felis

Question 9

what is a hallmark diagnostic finding of babesia spp.

Answer 9

anemia and thrombocytopenia

Question 10

what spreads B. vogeli

Answer 10

rhipicephalus sanguineus (brown dog tick)

Question 11

what spreads B. gibsoni

Answer 11

Haemaphysalis spp.

Question 12

describe the lifecycle of babesia

Answer 12

1. sporozoites transmitted by ticks
2. trophozoites undergo binary fission to become merozoites (daughter cells)
3. ingestion of RBCs containing babesia by the tick
4. babesia create sporozoites

Question 13

what are the 4 ways babesia are transmitted

Answer 13

1. sporozoites injected by tick bite
2. dog-to-dog (fighting)
3. blood transfusion
4. transplacentally (vertically)

Question 14

what is the pathogenesis of babesia

Answer 14

1. direct destruction of erythrocytes
2. autoantibodies directed against host erythrocytes

Question 15

a 3 y/o pitbull presents for injuries sustained after a dog fight. The patient is febrile, lethargic, and has thrombocytopenia. what is the diagnosis? be specific.

Answer 15

babesia gibsoni

Question 16

a 7 y/o Great Pyrenees used as a farm dog present for tick attachment. The patient has pale mucous membranes and lymphadenomegaly upon palpation. RBC morphology reveals agglutination and spherocytes. what is the diagnosis? be specific.

Answer 16

babesia vogeli

Question 17

what diagnostic finding is more common with babesia infections

Answer 17

thrombocytopenia

Question 18

T/F: there are no pathognomonic biochemical findings of babesia

Answer 18

TRUE

Question 19

what are 3 diagnostic tests you can use to diagnose piroplasms

Answer 19

1. parasite visualization (via blood smear)
2. serology
3. PCR

Question 20

if you only have time for one test to diagnose babesia, what will you do?

Answer 20

PCR

Question 21

what may cause artifacts on babesia parasite visualization

Answer 21

Howell-jolly bodies, water, mycoplasma hemocanis

Question 22

T/F: babesia vogeli is large

Answer 22

TRUE

Question 23

T/F: serology is species-specific

Answer 23

FALSE - can cross-react

Question 24

T/F: a serologic false negative can occur because antibodies take a while to generate

Answer 24

TRUE

Question 25

why would a negative PCR test occur

Answer 25

parasite load is too low to be detected

Question 26

what is recommended treatment for both B. gibsoni and cytauxzoon felis

Answer 26

azithromycin and atovaquone

Question 27

what are the 5 risk factors for Babesia

Answer 27

1. breed (greyhounds, pit bulls, etc.) 2. dog bite 3. exposure to ticks 4. transfusions 5. splenectomy

Question 28

T/F: babesiosis can be acute or chronic

Answer 28

TRUE

Question 29

14 m/o outdoor/indoor cat presents with a 7-day history of lethargy, fever, and emesis. The patient is laterally recumbent upon presentation and diagnostics reveal pancytopenia (anemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia). what is your diagnosis?

Answer 29

cytauxzoon felis

Question 30

summarize the life cycle of cytauxzoon felis

Answer 30

1. lone star tick ingests infected RBCs 2. sporozoites infect macrophages throughout the body 3. schizonts rupture and release merozoites

Question 31

who is the natural resivoir host for cytauxzoon felis

Answer 31

bobcats

Question 32

T/F: a chronically infected survivor can become a natural reservoir host

Answer 32

TRUE

Question 33

Schizonts of cytauxzoon felis infect what two WBCs

Answer 33

macrophages and monocytes

Question 34

what is the pathogenesis of cytauxzoon felis

Answer 34

1. direct destruction of RBCs 2. widespread dissemination of schizont-laden macrophages 3. inflammation that recruits macrophages and monocytes

Question 35

a 5 y/o DSH presents for acute febrile disease and dyspnea. Patient is an indoor apartment cat that has access to a balcony. mucous membranes are icteric. what is your diagnosis?

Answer 35

cytauxzoon felis

Question 36

why shouldn't a PCR or serology test be done on a cat you expect has C. felis

Answer 36

you won't have the results back fast enough to treat

Question 37

summarize the progression of symptoms of C. felis in cats

Answer 37

signs 12-15 days after infection - ADR to coma in days - death within 5 days of clinical signs

Question 38

what cats are at higher risk of contracting C. felis

Answer 38

1. outdoor cats 2. cats in the southeast and midwest

Question 39

is there season prevalence associated with C. felis infection? if so, when?

Answer 39

Yes, April to August

Question 40

if C felis is diagnosed and treated quickly what is the survival rate of cats

Answer 40

60%