Kinetics of the inflammatory response during experimental Babesia rossi infection of beagle dogs

Babesia rossi causes severe morbidity and mortality in dogs in sub-Saharan Africa, and the complications associated with this disease are likely caused by an unfocused, excessive inflammatory response. During this experimental B. rossi study we investigated inflammatory marker and cytokine kinetics during infection and after treatment. We aimed to determine whether infectious dose and treatment would influence the progression of the inflammatory response and clinical disease. Six healthy male beagle dogs formed the study population, one was used to raise the infectious inoculum, three were administered a high B. rossi infectious dose (HD group) and two a low infectious dose (LD group). Clinical examination, complete blood count (CBC) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were determined daily. Cytokines were quantified on stored plasma collected during the study, using a canine specific cytokine magnetic bead panel (Milliplex©). The experiment was terminated and treatment administered when predetermined experimental or humane endpoints were reached. Parasitemia occurred on day 1 and 3 in the HD and LD groups respectively. The rate of increase in parasitemia in the HD group was significantly faster than that seen in the LD group. Significant differences were found in heart rate, blood pressure, interferon gamma (INFγ), keratinocyte chemoattractant (KC), INFγ-induced protein 10 (IP10), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP1), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), interleukin 2 (IL-2), IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10 IL-15, IL-18, CRP, neutrophils and monocytes between groups at multiple time points during the course of the infection. Our findings suggest that the initiation of inflammation occurs before the onset of clinical disease in B. rossi infection and infectious dose influences the onset of the inflammatory response. Treatment enhances the inflammatory response in the immediate post-treatment period which may contribute to disease associated complications. Finally, we found that there is an imbalance in pro/anti-inflammatory cytokine concentrations during infection which may promote parasite replication. •Experimental Babesia rossi infection using a cryopreserved wild-type strain.•Markers of inflammation including cytokines, C-reactive protein, and leukocytes.•Progression of inflammation during infection and after treatment.•Influence of infectious dose on progression of clinical disease and inflammation.