Reliability of clinical monitoring for the diagnosis of babesiosis in dogs in Nigeria

Figures & data

Table 1 Distribution of study population according to clinical signs and parameters used for their selection

Clinical signs, n (%)	Number of dogs with clinical manifestation
	Babesia-positive dogs (n=63)	Babesia-negative dogs (n=40)
Tick infestation	53 (86.6)	35 (90.1)
Anorexia	30 (49.0)	14 (36.0)
Fever	35 (57.2)	18 (46.4)
Splenomegaly	12 (19.6)	8 (20.6)
Anemia (pale mucosa)	17 (27.7)	9 (23.1)
Hemoglobinuria	3 (4.9)	2 (5.2)
Jaundice	6 (9.8)	2 (5.2)

Table 2 Breed distribution of dogs with or without Babesia spp.

SN	Breed	NP	%P	NN	%N	Total
1	Alsatian	32	62.2	21	40.8	53
2	Belgian Malamute	0	0	1	100	1
3	Boerboel	5	64.3	3	38.6	8
4	Bullmastiff	1	50.0	1	50.0	2
5	Caucasian	5	100	0	0	5
6	Crossbreed	3	60.0	2	40.0	5
7	Dalmatian	1	50.0	1	50.0	2
8	Doberman	1	–	0	0	1
9	Labrador Retriever	0	0	2	100	2
10	Maltese	1	–	0	0	1
11	Pit Bull Terrier	1	–	0	0	1
12	Rottweiler	11	55.0	9	45.0	20
13	Samoyed	1	–	0	0	1
14	Terrier Cross	1	–	0	0	1
	Total	63	–	40	–	103

Abbreviations: SN, serial number; NP, number of positive cases; %P, percentage of positive cases; NN, number of negative cases; %N, percentage of negative cases.

Table 3 Severity of anemia in Babesia-positive and Babesia-negative cases

SN	Severity of anemia (PCV, %)	NP	%P	NN	%N
1	Severe (<18)	20	31.7	7	17.9
2	Moderate (18–24)	8	12.7	6	15.4
3	Mild (25–30)	14	22.2	12	30.8
4	Not anemic (>30)	21	33.3	14	35.9
	Total	63	100	39	100

Abbreviations: SN, serial number; PCV, packed cell volume; NP, number of positive cases; %P, percentage of positive cases; NN, number of negative cases; %N, percentage of negative cases.

Table 4 Severity of anemia within breeds positive with Babesia spp.

Breed	No anemia	Mild anemia	Moderate anemia	Severe anemia	Total
Alsatian	12	2	3	10	27
Dalmatian	1	–	–	1	2
Boerboel	–	3	1	2	6
Pit Bull	–	–	1	–	1
Maltese	–	1	–	–	1
Rottweiler Cross	1	–	–	–	1
Caucasian	1	–	2	1	4
Samoyed	–	1	–	–	1
Terrier	1	–	–	–	1
Neapolitan Mastiff	1	–	–	–	1
Rottweiler	2	3	–	5	10
Bullmastiff	–	2	–	–	2
Mongrel	2	1	–	1	4
Alsatian Cross	–	1	1	–	2
Total	21	14	8	20	63

Table 5 Leukocytic changes in Babesia-positive dogs

Leukocyte change	Number of positive dogs	% Positive
Leukopenia (<5,000)	10	15.8
Leukocytosis (>17,000)	14	22.2
Normal (5,000–17,000)	39	62
Total	63	100

Table 6 Leukocytic changes within breeds positive to Babesia spp.

Breed	Normal leukocyte count	Leukocytosis	Leukopenia	Total
Alsatian	18	8	6	32
Dalmatian	–	1	–	1
Boerboel	2	2	1	5
Pit Bull Terrier	1	–	–	1
Maltese	1	–	–	1
Caucasian	4	–	1	5
Samoyed	1	–	–	1
Terrier Cross	1	–	–	1
Rottweiler	7	3	1	11
Bullmastiff	–	–	1	1
Crossbreed	3	–	–	3
Doberman	1	–	–	1
Total	39	14	10	63

Table 7 Pearson’s correlation results of measured parameters

Measured parameters	r or P	Temp	HR	PCV	WBC	TB	TPP	Alb	Glob
Temp	r	1	−0.246	0.358**	−0.387**	0.120	0.046	0.156	−0.112
	P	0	0.059	0.005	0.003	0.384	0.741	0.257	0.419
HR	r	−0.246	1	−0.098	−0.050	0.089	−0.115	−0.074	−0.084
	P	0.059	0	0.462	0.712	0.521	0.410	0.594	0.548
PCV	r	0.358**	−0.098	1	−0.343**	0.097	.120	−0.011	0.161
	P	0.005	0.462	0	0.009	0.486	0.393	0.937	0.251
WBC	r	−0.387**	−0.050	−0.343**	1	−0.038	0.028	−0.035	0.088
	P	0.003	0.712	0.009	0	0.789	0.847	0.805	0.539
TB	r	0.120	0.089	0.097	−0.038	1	−0.552**	−0.254	−0.601**
	P	0.384	0.521	0.486	0.789	0	0.000	0.061	0.000
TPP	r	0.046	−0.115	0.120	0.028	−0.552**	1	0.765**	0.774**
	P	0.741	0.410	0.393	0.847	0.000	0	0.000	0.000
Alb	r	0.156	−0.074	−0.011	−0.035	−0.254	0.765**	1	0.210
	P	0.257	0.594	0.937	0.805	0.061	0.000	0	0.127
Glob	r	−0.112	−0.084	0.161	0.088	−0.601**	0.774**	0.210	1
	P	0.419	0.548	0.251	0.539	0.000	0.000	0.127	0

Note:

** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (two-tailed).

Abbreviations: Temp, temperature; HR, heart rate; PCV, packed cell volume; WBC, white blood cell; TB, total bilirubin; TPP, total plasma protein; Alb, albumin; Glob, globulin.