A Possible treatment strategy and clinical factors to estimate the treatment response in Bebesia gibsoni infection

J Vet Med Sci. 2007 May;69(5):563-8. doi: 10.1292/jvms.69.563.

Abstract

The effectiveness of combination therapy using clindamycin, metronidazole and doxycycline against canine babesiosis, and the usefulness of platelet count and the plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration as an estimation factor for treatment, were evaluated in four dogs experimentally infected with Babesia gibsoni. The combination therapy successfully eliminated B. gibsoni in peripheral blood in 3 of 4 dogs, however the remaining dog showed obvious uncontrolled relapse after a temporary recovery. In addition, it was shown that CRP levels decreased in an inverse relationship to the recovery of packed cell volume and therefore CRP levels could be used as an optional clinical marker to estimate the response to treatment.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Babesia*
  • Babesiosis / drug therapy
  • Babesiosis / veterinary*
  • C-Reactive Protein / analysis*
  • Clindamycin / therapeutic use*
  • Dog Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Dogs
  • Doxycycline / therapeutic use*
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Metronidazole / therapeutic use*
  • Platelet Count / veterinary

Substances

  • Metronidazole
  • Clindamycin
  • C-Reactive Protein
  • Doxycycline