Tick trivia: A clinical quiz, answer 1B

1) B–Correct!

A diagnosis of infection with Cytauxzoon felis, the tick-borne blood parasite shown in the photo, carries a guarded prognosis. However, a recent study suggests that cats with C. felis infection may respond to a combination of atovaquone and azithromycin,5 a combination therapy that has been used in treating dogs with another form of tick-borne disease-babesiosis due to Babesia gibsoni-although apparent drug resistance and persistence of parasites after treatment has been reported.6,7 Other factors that may improve the outcome of C. felis infection include early treatment intervention, high-quality nursing care, and the strain of parasite responsible for the infection.1-4

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