Vitamin D status in dogs with babesiosis
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Date
Authors
Dvir, Eran
Rosa, Chantal T.
Handel, Ian
Mellanby, Richard J.
Schoeman, Johan P.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AOSIS OpenJournals
Abstract
Canine babesiosis is a virulent infection of dogs in South Africa caused principally by Babesia
rossi. Hypovitaminosis D has been reported in a wide range of infectious diseases in humans
and dogs, and low vitamin D status has been associated with poor clinical outcomes.
However, the relationship between vitamin D status and canine babesiosis has not been
investigated. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between the
presence and severity of B. rossi infection and vitamin D status of infected dogs. Owners
with dogs with a confirmed diagnosis of B. rossi infection and of healthy control dogs
were invited to enrol onto the study. Vitamin D status was assessed by measurement of
serum concentrations of the major circulating vitamin D metabolite, 25-hydroxyvitamin
D (25[OH]D). Dogs with babesiosis (n = 34) had significantly lower mean serum 25(OH)D
concentrations than healthy dogs (n = 24) (37.76 ± 21.25 vs. 74.2 ± 20.28 nmol/L). The effect
of babesiosis on serum 25(OH)D concentrations was still significant after adjusting for any
effect of age, body weight and sex. There was a negative relationship between serum 25(OH)
D concentrations and disease severity in dogs with babesiosis. Serum concentrations of
creatinine and alanine aminotransferase and time to last meal were not associated with
serum 25(OH)D concentrations in dogs with babesiosis. In conclusion, dogs with Babesia
rossi infections had lower serum 25(OH)D concentrations than healthy dogs. The inverse
correlation between 25(OH)D concentrations and the clinical severity score indicate that
hypovitaminosis D might be a helpful additional indicator of disease severity.
Description
Keywords
Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxyvitamin D, Babesiosis, Babesia rossi, Dogs (Canis familiaris), South Africa (SA), Canine babesiosis, Hypovitaminosis D
Sustainable Development Goals
Citation
Dvir, E., Rosa, C., Handel, I.,
Mellanby R.J. & Schoeman,
J.P., 2019, ‘Vitamin D status
in dogs with babesiosis’,
Onderstepoort Journal of
Veterinary Research 86(1),
a1644. https://DOI.org/10.4102/ojvr.v86i1.1644.