Date of Award

1-1948

Document Type

Thesis - Restricted

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Medical

First Advisor

Robert Haukohl

Second Advisor

W. A. Anderson

Third Advisor

Adolph Kappus

Abstract

Haemobartonellosis is a macrocytic, hypochromic, infectious anemia of rats incited by a bacterial etiological agent, Haemobartonella muris, which can be easily observed during clinical manifestations of the disease as a peripheral blood parasite, establishing itself chiefly on or within the erythrocytes per se.

Clinical manifestations of the disease may be established in carrier rats, which bear the malady as a latent infection, by splenectomy which tends to disrupt the immunological balance of the animal.

Haemobartonellosis is of medical importance because of the great similarity that exists between its etiological agent and that of human bartonellosis, a very fatal disease in one form of its manifestations. To date, no definite, favorable, curative agent has been found for the latter disease.

In both of the maladies, haemobartonellosis and bartonellosis, an invasion of the erythrocytes of the peripheral blood by the specific etiological agents occurs during clinical manifestations. A definite similarity exists in this respect to the malarial diseases which have many known therapeutic agents.

In view of this fact, it seemed advisable to ascertain what effect might be encountered by the utilization of some of the newer anti-malarial drugs as possible therapeutic agents of haemobartonellosis. This represents the basis for the experimental undertakings that shall be reviewed in this paper.

It is the plan or the author to afford: a) an introduction to haemobartonellosis, including a brief discussion of the taxonomy of H. muris and a comparison of it to Bartonella bacilliformis, b) a history and presentation of the symptomology and pathogenesis of haemobartonellosis, c) a review or previous experimental therapy undertaken in haemobartonellosis, d) an account of the experimental therapy in haemobartonellosis undertaken by the author. Several tables, charts and plates are enclosed as possible aids to greater clarity in understanding the experiments.

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