> 1: J S Afr Vet Assoc 2001 Sep;72(3):158-62 Related Articles, Books

> Systemic inflammatory response syndrome and multiple-organ damage/dysfunction
> in complicated canine babesiosis.

> Welzl C, Leisewitz AL, Jacobson LS, Vaughan-Scott T, Myburgh E.

> Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science,
> University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa.

> This study was designed to document the systemic inflammatory response syndrome
> (SIRS) and multiple-organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) in dogs with complicated
> babesiosis, and to assess their impact on outcome. Ninety-one cases were
> evaluated retrospectively for SIRS and 56 for MODS. The liver, kidneys, lungs,
> central nervous system and musculature were assessed. Eighty-seven percent of
> cases were SIRS-positive. Fifty-two percent of the cases assessed for organ
> damage had single-organ damage and 48 % had MODS. Outcome was not significantly
> affected by either SIRS or MODS, but involvement of specific organs had a
> profound effect. Central nervous system involvement resulted in a 57 times
> greater chance of death and renal involvement in a 5-fold increased risk
> compared to all other complications. Lung involvement could not be
> statistically evaluated owing to co-linearity with other organs, but was
> associated with high mortality. Liver and muscle damage were common, but did
> not significantly affect outcome. There are many similarities between the
> observations in this study and previous human and animal studies in related
> fields, lending additional support to the body of evidence for shared
> underlying pathophysiological mechanisms in systemic inflammatory states.

> PMID: 11811704 [PubMed - in process]

> Canine Babs is distinct from human Babesiosis BUT the WA1 strain of Babesiosis
> is ALMOST IDENTICAL to Babesia Gibsonii, a canine strain that is scary scary
> scary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> What is intersting to ME is that Gibsonii causes jaw pain in dogs and locally
> all the females (humans) with jaw pain have Babs!  Also causes increase in
> abdominal girth in dogs.  ANyway, interesting to read about it all...  They
> recently discovered more Babesia is out there in dogs than they knew of.  I
> strongly suspect at times Gibsonii & WA1 are identical and that the CDC doesn't
> want to publicize xenospecies transference, but hey, that's paranoic thinking.
> I repeat: "They are here to help us." x 20 when I think that.  Hard to  believe
> sometimes, that's all.  But here is an abstract on Gibsonii.  These mixed
> acid-base disturbances are in WA1 as well.

> 1: J Vet Intern Med 2001 Sep-Oct;15(5):445-52 Related Articles, Books

> The mixed acid-base disturbances of severe canine babesiosis.

> Leisewitz AL, Jacobson LS, de Morais HS, Reyers F.

> Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science,
> University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa.

> Thirty-four dogs suffering from severe babesiosis caused by Babesia canis rossi
> were included in this study to evaluate acid-base imbalances with the
> quantitative clinical approach proposed by Stewart. All but 3 dogs were
> severely anemic (hematocrit <12%). Arterial pH varied from severe acidemia to
> alkalemia. Most animals (31 of 34; 91%) had inappropriate hypocapnia with the
> partial pressure of CO2 < 10 mm Hg in 12 of 34 dogs (35%). All dogs had a
> negative base excess (BE; mean of - 16.5 mEq/L) and it was below the lower
> normal limit in 25. Hypoxemia was present in 3 dogs. Most dogs (28 of 34; 82%)
> were hyperlactatemic. Seventy percent of dogs (23 of 33) were hypoalbuminemic.
> Anion gap (AG) was widely distributed, being high in 15, low in 12, and normal
> in 6 of the 33 dogs. The strong ion difference (SID; difference between the
> sodium and chloride concentrations) was low in 20 of 33 dogs, chiefly because
> of hyperchloremia. Dilutional acidosis was present in 23 of 34 dogs.
> Hypoalbuminemic alkalosis was present in all dogs. Increase in unmeasured
> strong anions resulted in a negative BE in all dogs. Concurrent metabolic
> acidosis and respiratory alkalosis was identified in 31 of 34 dogs. A high AG
> metabolic acidosis was present in 15 of 33 dogs. The lack of an AG increase in
> the remaining dogs was attributed to concurrent hypoalbuminemia, which is
> common in this disease. Significant contributors to BE were the SID, free water
> abnormalities, and AG (all with P < .01). Mixed metabolic and respiratory
> acid-base imbalances are common in severe canine babesiosis, and resemble
> imbalances described in canine endotoxemia and human malaria.

> PMID: 11596731 [PubMed - in process]

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