Effect of Clindamycin Therapy on Phagocytic and Oxidative Activity Profiles of Spleen Mononuclear Cells in Babesia rodhaini-infected Mice

Abstract

Spleen weight, the number of spleen mononuclear cells, and their phagocytic activity in groups of Babesia rodhaini-infected mice treated with diminazene diaceturate and clindamycin increased significantly in the early stage of treatment, and then decreased in the final stage of treatment to approximately the pre-infection level. The number of F4/80-positive macrophages and their oxidative activity per mean whole-spleen weight also increased significantly during the course of treatment in comparison with the untreated group. The increases in the clindamycin-treated group were more prominent than those in the group treated with diminazene diaceturate, suggesting the effectiveness of clindamycin therapy for murine babesiosis.