| Line 1: |
Line 1: |
| − | {{review}}
| + | #REDIRECT[[:Category:Piroplasmida]] |
| − | {{toplink
| |
| − | |backcolour =
| |
| − | |linkpage =Parasites
| |
| − | |linktext =PARASITES
| |
| − | |pagetype=Bugs
| |
| − | |sublink1=Protozoa
| |
| − | |subtext1=PROTOZOA
| |
| − | }}
| |
| − | <br>
| |
| − | ==Introduction==
| |
| − | | |
| − | The '''piroplasms''' are a group of blood-bourne protozoa which are transmitted by [[Suborder: Metastigmata, ticks|ticks]]. The two species most of veterinary importance are ''Babesia'', ''Cytauxzoon'' and ''Theileria''.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Piroplasms are apicomplexan protozoa which inhabit [[Erythrocytes - WikiBlood|erythrocytes]], and sometimes other cells of vertebrates, but do not form pigment from haemoglobin. All piroplasms are small and round or pear-shaped (erythrocyte forms) and are parasitic on fish, amphibians, birds and mammals.
| |
| − | | |
| − | ==''Babesia''==
| |
| − | [[Image:Babesia Life Cycle.jpg|thumb|right|150px|''Babesia'' Life Cycle Diagram - Dennis Jacobs & Mark Fox RVC]]
| |
| − | [[Image:Alternative Babesia life cycle diagram.jpg|thumb|right|150px|''Babesia'' Life Cycle - Mariana Ruiz Villarreal]]
| |
| − | *Infects a wide range of host species in different areas of the world
| |
| − | | |
| − | *Babesiosis has severe effects on cattle production in parts of the world
| |
| − | **Prevents European breeds from being successful in tropical regions where [[Suborder: Metastigmata, ticks|ticks]] are endemic.
| |
| − | **Occurs sporadically in the UK and Ireland causing losses of around £8 million per year
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Life Cycle'''
| |
| − | *Both [[Suborder: Metastigmata, ticks#Disease Transmission|trans-stadial]] and [[Suborder: Metastigmata, ticks#Disease Transmission|trans-ovarian]] occurs
| |
| − | | |
| − | *Each female [[Suborder: Metastigmata, ticks|tick]] produces 3000 eggs
| |
| − | | |
| − | *The [[Suborder: Metastigmata, ticks|tick]] is the definitive host
| |
| − | | |
| − | *''Babesia'' multiplies in the red blood cells by '''budding'''
| |
| − | **Forms 2-4 daughter cells (species dependent)
| |
| − | **Giemsa blood smears can differentiate between species using 'Diffquik' stain
| |
| − | | |
| − | *''Babesia'' species are either small or large depending on the size of the daughter cells
| |
| − | | |
| − | *Small ''Babesia''
| |
| − | **E.g. ''B. divergens''
| |
| − | **E.g. ''B. gibsoni''
| |
| − | **Peripheral nucleus
| |
| − | **Obtuse angle
| |
| − | | |
| − | *Large ''Babesia''
| |
| − | **E.g. ''B. major''
| |
| − | **E.g. ''B. canis-complex''
| |
| − | **Central nucleus
| |
| − | **Acute angle
| |
| − | | |
| − | *Daughter cells disrupt the red blood cell and are released
| |
| − | **Spread and infect other red blood cells
| |
| − | | |
| − | *Antigen is released which absorbs onto other red blood cells
| |
| − | **Causes haemolysis and [[General Pathology - Pigmentation and Calcification#Haemoglobin|haemoglobin pigmentation]]
| |
| − | **Causes haemolytic anaemia, haemoglobinuria and fever
| |
| − | | |
| − | *In cattle:
| |
| − | **Sudden onset
| |
| − | **Often fatal if untreated
| |
| − | **Causes 'pipestem' faeces
| |
| − | **Clumping of red blood cells in brain capillaries can occur causing neurological signs
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Epidemiology'''
| |
| − | | |
| − | ==''Theileria''==
| |
| − | [[Image:Theileria parva life cycle.jpg|thumb|right|150px|''Theileria parva'' Life Cycle Diagram - Dennis Jacobs & Mark Fox RVC]]
| |
| − | *Main species of veterinary importance is ''Theileria parva''
| |
| − | **Causes '''East Coast Fever'''
| |
| − | ***Severe, proliferative lymphatic disease of cattle
| |
| − | ***Central and Eastern Africa
| |
| − | ***Transmitted by [[Suborder: Metastigmata, ticks#Ticks of Veterinary Importance|''Rhipicephalus appendiculatus'']]
| |
| − | ***[[Suborder: Metastigmata, ticks#Disease Transmission|Trans-stadial]] transmission
| |
| − | | |
| − | *Other ''Theileria'' species causes production losses in cattle and sheep in the Middle East, Mediterranean and in Northern Africa
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Life Cycle'''
| |
| − | *Incubation phase lasts 1 week
| |
| − | | |
| − | *Lymphoblast proliferation
| |
| − | **Local [[Lymph Nodes - Anatomy & Physiology|lymph node]] first infected then spreads through body
| |
| − | **Occurs in week two
| |
| − | | |
| − | *Lymphoid depletion
| |
| − | **[[Lymphocytes - WikiBlood|Lymphocytes]] killed
| |
| − | **Decreases lymphopoiesis
| |
| − | **Occurs in week 3
| |
| − | | |
| − | *Total incubation period takes about 18 days
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Diagnosis'''
| |
| − | *Clinical signs
| |
| − | **Pyrexia
| |
| − | **Enlarged local [[Lymph Nodes - Anatomy & Physiology|lymph node]]
| |
| − | ***Usually parotid [[Lymph Nodes - Anatomy & Physiology|lymph node]] as [[Suborder: Metastigmata, ticks#Ticks of Veterinary Importance|''Rhipicephalus appendiculatus'']] feeds in the ear
| |
| − | **Loss of condition
| |
| − | | |
| − | *Examine Giemsa stained smears of:
| |
| − | **Local [[Lymph Nodes - Anatomy & Physiology|lymph node]] aspirated for schizonts
| |
| − | **Blood smears for pioplasms in red blood cells
| |
| − | | |
| − | *Post-mortem
| |
| − | **Pulmonary oedema
| |
| − | **Gut mucosal haemorrhages
| |
| − | **[[Lymph Nodes - Anatomy & Physiology|Lymph node]] and [[Spleen - Anatomy & Physiology|spleen]] cellular atrophy
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Control'''
| |
| − | *Integrated control of both the [[Suborder: Metastigmata, ticks|tick]] and vector
| |
| − | **[[Vaccines - WikiBlood|Vaccination]] and [[ectoparasiticides]]
| |
| − | | |
| − | *Current [[Vaccines - WikiBlood|vaccination]] is live unattentuated
| |
| − | **Contains frozen stabilate of ground up tick gut containing infective sporozoites
| |
| − | **Long lasting oxytetracycline administered at the same time to slow down schizogony giving the immune response time to develop
| |
| − | | |
| − | ==''Cytauxzoon felis''==
| |
| − | | |
| − | *Cytauxzoon is classified in the order ''Piroplasmida'' and family ''Theileriidae''
| |
| − | **This family has both an erythrocytic and a tissue (leukocytic) phase
| |
| − |
| |
| − | *The ''Babesiidae'', a related family, is characterized by having a primarily erythrocytic phase in the mammalian host
| |
| − | **Its morphological features are indistinguishable from the erythrocytic form of Cytauxzoon
| |
| − |
| |
| − | *''Cytauxzoon felis'', ''B. equi'', and ''B. rodhaini'' have been linked to both the babesias and theilerias by RNA gene sequence analysis
| |
| − | **It has been suggested that these organisms be reclassified within a separate family
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Life Cycle'''
| |
| − | *Large schizonts of ''C. felis'' develop in [[Macrophages - WikiBlood|macrophages]]
| |
| − | **In Theileria the exoerythrocytic stage occurs primarily within [[Lymphocytes - WikiBlood|lymphocytes]]
| |
| − | | |
| − | *In ''C. felis'', schizonts develop within mononuclear phagocytes, initially as indistinct vesicular structures and later as large, distinct nucleated schizonts that actively undergo division by true schizogony and binary fission
| |
| − | | |
| − | *Later in the course of the disease, schizonts develop buds (merozoites) that separate and eventually fill the entire host cell
| |
| − |
| |
| − | *Each schizont may contain numerous merozoites
| |
| − | **Ultrastructurally, schizonts lack a parasitophorous vacuole, and individual merozoites possess rhoptries
| |
| − | | |
| − | *The host cell ruptures, releasing merozoites into the tissue fluid and blood
| |
| − |
| |
| − | *Merozoites are then believed to enter erythrocytes to form the intraerythrocytic stage
| |
| − |
| |
| − | *Merozoites appear in [[Macrophages - WikiBlood|macrophages]] one to three days before they are observed in [[Erythrocytes - WikiBlood|erythrocytes]]
| |
| − |
| |
| − | '''Pathogenicity'''
| |
| − | *[[Suborder: Metastigmata, ticks|Ticks]] are implicated as the natural vector for ''Cytauxzoon''
| |
| − | **Most cases of infection have been associated with the presence of these parasites on the hosts
| |
| − | **Experimentally, ''Dermacentor variabilis'' can transmit the organism from bobcats to domestic cats. In a white tiger that developed a natural, fatal infection in Florida, two female Lone Star ticks (''Amblyomma americanum'') were present on the inguinal skin.
| |
| − | | |
| − | *Clinically, the disease in cats is characterized by fever, depression, dyspnea, anorexia, lymphadenopathy, anaemia, and icterus leading to death in three to six days
| |
| − | | |
| − | *Gross findings include pale or icteric mucous membranes, petechiae and ecchymoses in the [[Lungs - Anatomy & Physiology|lung]], [[Heart - Anatomy & Physiology|heart]], [[Lymph Nodes - Anatomy & Physiology|lymph nodes]] and on mucous membranes, splenomegaly, lymphadenomegaly, and hydropericardium
| |
| − |
| |
| − | *Microscopically, numerous large schizonts are present within the cytoplasm of endothelial-associated [[Macrophages - WikiBlood|macrophages]]
| |
| − | **Infected macrophages become markedly enlarged (up to 75μm) and may occlude the lumens of numerous vessels of many tissues, especially the [[Lungs - Anatomy & Physiology|lungs]]
| |
| − | **Minimal inflammatory reaction is present in tissues
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Diagnosis'''
| |
| − | *Merozoites within [[Erythrocytes - WikiBlood|erythrocytes]], best seen on peripheral blood or tissue impressions, are variable in morphology and can occur as round, oval, or signet ring-shaped bodies
| |
| − | **Are 1-5 micrometers in diameter
| |
| − | **Small, peripherally placed basophilic nucleus
| |
| − | | |
| − | *Organisms that must be distinguished from the intraerythrocytic phase of ''C. felis'' include ''Babesia'' and ''Hemobartonella''
| |
| − | **The blood stage may appear similar to the ring forms of ''Hemobartonella'' and to the piriforms of ''Babesia''
| |
| − | **Unlike ''Cytauxzoon'', ''babesiosis'' and ''hemobartonellosis'' do not have a tissue stage of infection
| |
| − |
| |
| − | *Differential diagnosis for the tissue phase of ''cytauxzoonosis'' includes other small (less than 5 μm), intrahistiocytic organisms such as ''Toxoplasma'', ''Leishmania'' and ''Histoplasma''
| |