The travelling pet Flashcards
Which 3 factors are leading to the rapid spread of parasitic diseases and their vectors
Increased:
- Pet travel
- Human migration
- Climate change
What are some of the main features of Babesia spp
- Apicomplexan protozoan parasite
- Similar to malaria
- Intra-erythrocyctic
- Transmitted by ticks
- Many species of Babesia: most are host-specific
Which two tick spp transmit Babesia canis?
- Dermacentor reticulatus
- Rhipicephalus sanguineus
Name the 3 morphological stages of Babesia spp
- Sporozoite
- Trophozoite
- Merozoite
Which of the 3 Babesia morphologies is the ‘divergent pair’?
Merozoite
What size is Babesia canis?
4-5um
Describe the life cycle of Babesia spp
- Merozoites divide by asexual binary fission in red blood cells
- Tick ingests the infected red blood cells
- Multiplication and sexual reproduction in the tick
- Dissemination of Babesia throughout the tissues into the ovaries: trans-ovarian transmission
- Infection passes onto new host by the next generation of ticks
- As the tick attaches and starts to feed, sporogony occurs in salivary glands
- Sporozoites injected into host with the tick saliva
- Sporozoites invade red blood cells and start to divide (merogony)
Describe Babesiosis disease and its clinical signs
- Acute, often fatal in naive dogs
- Anaemia arises from haemolysis
- Pale mucus membranes
- Depression
- Splenomegaly
How is Babesiosis diagnosed?
- History of recent travel
- Clinical signs
- Giemsa stained blood smear to identify merozoites
Which drug is used to treat Babesiosis?
Imidocarb
How is the travelling pet protected against Babesia?
Tick control: - Fipronil (Frontline) - Fluralaner (Bravecto) - Imidacloprid + flumethrin collar (Seresto) Prevent the tick from feeding
What type of protozoa is Leishmania?
Flagellated
How is Leishmania transmitted?
By sand-flies of the genus Phlembotomus spp
What is the spp of Leishmania that infects dogs?
Leishmania infantum
Describe human Leishmania disease
- Transmitted by the bite of infected sand flies
- Tropics, subtropics and southern Europe
- Cause of significant morbidity and mortality
- Cutaneous and visceral form
Which spp is the reservoir for human Leishmania?
Dogs
What are the two morphological stages of Leishmania?
- Amastigote
- Promastigote
Describe the Amastigote stage of Leishmania
- Mammalian stage
- Multiplies in cytoplasm of macrophages
Describe the Promastigote stage of Leishmania
- Insect stage
- Contains the flagellum
What do both stages of Leishmania have which helps identify the parasite?
Kinetoplast
Describe the life cycle of Leishmania
- Amastigotes taken up as sand fly feeds from a dog or human
- In sand fly midgut the amastigotes transform into the promastigote stage (contains flagellum)
- Infection of new host when sand fly feeds: promastigote migrates from the midgut down the proboscis
- Promastigotes are internalized by macrophages and loose their flagellum, transforming into the amastigote stage
What are some clinical signs of Leishmania?
- Clinical signs range from asymptomatic to severe
- Alopecia/Hair loss
- Emaciation
- Exfoliative dermatitis
- Eczema
- Lesions around the edges of ears
- Peri-orbital alopecia
- Sores around muco-cutaneous junctions are common
- Chronic phase of diseases - excessive nail growth
How long is the incubation period of canine Leishmania?
Canine leishmaniasis has a long incubation time (3-18 months) – symptoms generally appear ~3months
How is Leishmania diagnosed?
- History of recent travel
- Clinical signs
- Blood tests/Serology
- PCR
