Splenopathie bei einer autochthon mit Babesia canis infizierten Hündin aus Deutschland ohne klinische und hämatologische Auffälligkeiten

Zusammenfassung

Bei einer 6-jährigen Lagotto Romagnolo-Hündin aus Deutschland wurde im Rahmen einer Vorsorgeuntersuchung in der sonografischen Untersuchung des Abdomens eine Splenomegalie mit diffusem, heterogenem Parenchym festgestellt. Die zytologische Untersuchung eines Milzaspirates ergab eine reaktive lymphoide Hyperplasie und extramedulläre Hämatopoese. Im Laufe der weiterführenden Aufarbeitung konnte eine Babesiose mit hohem Babesia-Antikörperspiegel und dem Nachweis von Babesia canis als Ursache der parenchymalen Milzveränderungen diagnostiziert werden. Zu keiner Zeit zeigte die Hündin eine klinische Symptomatik oder labordiagnostische Auffälligkeit im Rahmen ihrer Erkrankung, obwohl eine aktive Babesiose diagnostiziert wurde. Aufgrund des hohen Antikörperspiegels kann ein bereits zu einem früheren Zeitpunkt stattgefundener Erregerkontakt oder ein subakuter Verlauf postuliert werden.

Dies ist, soweit den Autoren bekannt ist, eine der wenigen Beschreibungen einer Babesiose mit einer strukturellen Splenopathie mit nachgewiesener extramedullärer Hämatopoese als einziger Hinweis auf das Vorliegen der Infektionserkrankung ohne entsprechende hämatologische Befunde.

Abstract

Splenomegaly with diffuse heterogeneous parenchyma was detected in a 6-year-old female Lagotto Romagnolo from Germany during routine ultrasonographic examination. The cytologic examination of a fine needle aspirate of the spleen revealed reactive lymphoid hyperplasia and extramedullary hematopoiesis. During diagnostic workup, babesiosis with high Babesia antibody levels and evidence of Babesia canis was diagnosed as the cause of the splenic parenchymal findings. At no time, the dog showed any clinical signs or clinicopathologic findings associated with the infection, although active babesiosis was diagnosed. Due to the high antibody level, it can be postulated that the dog had already been exposed to the pathogen at an earlier stage or that she had a subacute course of the disease.

To the authors' knowledge, this is one of the few descriptions of babesiosis with structural splenopathy with evidence of extramedullary hematopoiesis as the only indication of the presence of the infectious disease and without corresponding clinicopathologic findings.

Schlüsselwörter

Kanine Babesiose - Dermacentor reticulatus - hämatogene Übertragung - Imidocarb-Dipropionat - Feinnadelaspiration

Keywords

Canine babesiosis - Dermacentor reticulatus - hematogenous transmission - Imidocarb dipropionate - fine needle aspiration

Publikationsverlauf

Eingereicht: 12. Mai 2025

Angenommen: 28. September 2025

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
28. November 2025

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