Effect of dexamethasone on babesiasis in hamsters

Three subcutaneous injections of 0.20 mg of dexamethasone/kg of body weight caused a substantial increase in Babesia microti-parasitized RBC of hamsters, indicating that this was a useful method for revealing the presence of latent infections. A relative neutrophilia, lymphocytopenia, and eosinopeni...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	American journal of veterinary research Vol. 45; no. 9; p. 1880
Main Authors:	Eckblad, W P, Stiller, D, Woodard, L F, Kuttler, K L
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	United States 01-09-1984
Subjects:	Animals Babesia - growth & development Babesiosis - immunology Babesiosis - parasitology Carrier State - diagnosis Carrier State - veterinary Cricetinae Dexamethasone Eosinophils - drug effects Erythrocytes - parasitology Lymphopenia - chemically induced Lymphopenia - veterinary Male Mesocricetus Neutrophils - drug effects
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Summary:	Three subcutaneous injections of 0.20 mg of dexamethasone/kg of body weight caused a substantial increase in Babesia microti-parasitized RBC of hamsters, indicating that this was a useful method for revealing the presence of latent infections. A relative neutrophilia, lymphocytopenia, and eosinopenia were also seen in the long-term B microti-infected carrier hamsters after 0.20 mg or 0.02 mg of dexamethasone/kg. Noninfected hamsters treated with dexamethasone had a neutrophilic leukocytosis and a transient lymphocytopenia. Spleen to body weight ratios of noninfected hamsters decreased significantly (P less than 0.02) after 4 injections with either dosage level. These ratios did not significantly (P greater than 0.05) decrease in dexamethasone-treated infected hamsters.
ISSN:	0002-9645