Studies on the influence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs upon trypanosomiasis in goats and sheep

The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) flurbiprofen caused a rise in parasitaemia in goats infected with Trypanosoma vivax, Trypanosoma congolense and Trypanosoma brucei. All trypanosome-infected goats treated with flurbiprofen showed many dividing trypanosomes. This also included the short-stumpy forms of T. brucei. In T. vivax-infected goats flurbiprofen treatment resulted in 100% mortality in the acute and chronic stages of the infection. The increase in parasitaemia of T. brucei infected goats, treated with flurbiprofen, was not associated with an increase in mortality. The increase in parasitaemia of T. congolense-infected goats, treated with flurbiprofen, tended to be associated with a somewhat higher mortality but this was statistically not significant. The significant rise in parasitaemia could be reproduced in T. brucei-infected sheep without, however, killing the animals. Two other NSAIDs were also studied. Suprofen caused a rise in parasitaemia and 100% mortality when given to goats in the acute stage of T. vivax infection. Results with flunixin meglumine, when tested in T. brucei infected goats, were not conclusive.     

Prevalence and incidence of bovine trypanosomosis in an agro-pastoral area of southwestern Burkina Faso

The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence and incidence of trypanosomosis and to investigate some factors influencing them in an agro-pastoral area of southwestern Burkina Faso. A total of 363 crossbred cattle (Baoule-zebu peul), which were bred under natural trypanosomosis challenge, were monitored monthly for parasitaemia, packed cell volume (PCV) and serological analyses over 2 years. The parasitological prevalence estimated at the beginning of the survey using the buffy coat technique (BCT) was 7.54%. As much as 66.7% of all trypanosome infections were due to Trypanosoma vivax, 23.8% due to Trypanosoma congolense and 9.5% due to T. vivax/T. congolense mixed infections. The monthly serological incidence varied from 0.29% to 19.29%.The season was the most important factor influencing the serological prevalence and incidence and the animal PCV. The dry hot season is associated with increasing seroprevalences and incidences and consequently a decreasing average of PCV. In addition, an important spatial heterogeneity was observed.     

Susceptibility of buffaloes, cattle and goats to infection with different stocks of Trypanosoma vivax transmitted by Glossina morsitans centralis

A comparison was made of the susceptibility of buffaloes, cattle and goats to infection with Trypanosoma vivax transmitted either by Glossina morsitans centralis or by syringe inoculation. Three different isolates of T vivax (two from East Africa, one from West Africa) were used to compare skin reactions, parasitaemia, anaemia and the development of trypanosome-specific antibodies in buffaloes, cattle and goats. African buffaloes reared in captivity in an area free from trypanosomiasis proved to be highly resistant to infection with the three stocks of T vivax tested, irrespective of whether infection was by tsetse transmitted metacyclic forms or by intradermal or intravenous inoculation of bloodstream forms of the parasite. The bites of 19 tsetse infected with a West African T vivax stock did not cause local skin reactions, detectable bloodstream infections or antibody responses in two buffaloes. Following the bites of 120 tsetse flies infected with the same stock, two different buffaloes showed no local skin reactions, but had detectable bloodstream infections without showing signs of anaemia. Cattle and goats infected in a similar way showed severe local inflammatory skin reactions, high levels of parasitaemia and severe anaemia. The two East African stocks of T vivax caused no local skin reactions and only a transient parasitaemia in buffaloes following tsetse-transmitted infection or intradermal inoculation of bloodstream forms. On the other hand, cattle and goats infected with the East African stocks showed high parasitaemias but local skin reactions only occurred in the goats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Recirculation of Trypanosoma brucei brucei in cattle after T. congolense challenge by tsetse flies

The effect of challenging cattle, chronically infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei, with T. congolense on the development of the T. b. brucei infection was investigated. For this purpose, nine experimental animals were first infected with T. b. brucei through the bites of infected tsetse flies. Once the T. b. brucei had developed into a chronic infection, that was difficult to detect using routine parasitological diagnostic tools, seven of the experimental animals were challenged by tsetse flies infected with T. congolense. Two of the animals infected with T. b. brucei were kept as control. The infection with T. congolense resulted in a sudden increase in the parasitaemia of T. b. brucei. In the T. b. brucei control animals, on the other hand, the parasitaemia remained below the level of detection. The epidemiological repercussions of this increase in the parasitaemia of T. b. brucei after infection with T. congolense are discussed.     

Relapse infection after chemotherapy in dogs experimentally infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei

Studies on relapsing Trypanosoma brucei brucei infections in dogs after Berenil treatment revealed that the first relapse occurred 13 to 64 days after chemotherapy and 36 to 79 days after inoculation. A second relapse infection was observed in two dogs 43 and 60 days after a second Berenil treatment. During the aparasitaemic period following chemotherapy in four dogs, successful transmission (as evidenced by subsequent parasitaemia) following the intraperitoneal inoculation of homogenate of brain from two of the dogs into recipient rats was obtained. Transmission with blood collected just before the animals were sacrificed was, however, negative. Hornogenates of other organs (liver, spleen, eyes, testes, kidneys, heart and lymph node) were also non-infective. One dog inoculated with relapsed trypanosomes and treated with Berenil soon after showing parasitaemia was completely cured of the infection. It was considered that the brain is the source of relapse in T b brucei infection after Berenil therapy and that the relapse was not due to drug resistance.     

High prevalence of Trypanosoma brucei gambiense group 1 in pigs from the Fontem sleeping sickness focus in Cameroon

To understand the importance of domestic pigs in the epidemiology of human trypanosomiasis, PCR was used to identify trypanosome populations in 133 pigs from the Fontem sleeping sickness focus of Cameroon. The results from this study show that 73.7% (98/133) of pigs from the Fontem area carry at least one trypanosome species. Trypanosoma vivax, T. brucei s.l. and T. congolense forest were found in 34.6% (46/133), 40.0% (53/133) and 46.0% (61/133) of the pigs respectively. T. simiae and T. congolense savannah were not identified in these animals. The use of repeated DNA sequences detected T. b. gambiense group 1 in 14.8% (15/101) of the pigs. Such pigs can be possible reservoir hosts for T. b. gambiense group 1 and contribute to the maintenance of the disease in the area. Mixed infections were revealed in 35.3% (47/133) of the pigs. Furthermore, we observed that under natural conditions, 52.4% (11/21) of the pigs from the Fontem focus carry mixed infections with T. b. gambiense group 1. No significant difference was observed between the percentage of T. b. gambiense group 1 single and mixed infections, and between the prevalence of this trypanosome in pigs from villages with and without sleeping sickness patients.     

Biological and biochemical characterization of isolates of Trypanosoma evansi from Pantanal of Matogrosso--Brazil

Ten isolates of Trypanosoma evansi from the Pantanal region of Brazil, recently derived from coati (Nasua nasua, carnivora, Procyonidae), horses and dogs, were characterized on the basis of biological (experimental infections in Wistar rats) and biochemical (multilocus enzyme eletrophoresis) data. Biological data were analyzed by Nested analysis of variance and Kruskal-Wallis. Marked heterogeneity in virulence was observed in the isolates. Some of the isolates showed an undulating parasitaemia, typical for African trypanosomes. This biological heterogeneity did not correspond with the biochemical homogeneity observed in the T. evansi isolates. T. evansi has one of the widest distributions and greatest range of mammalian hosts and is widely recognized to have evolved from Trypanosoma brucei. Adaptability of T. evansi was not reflected in the variability of biochemical and molecular parameters studied to date. The variability in virulence was very significant, but not correlated with the host from which it was derived. These data suggested that, in the region studied, T. evansi is transmitted among both domestic and sylvatic animals in one single transmission cycle.     

Flurbiprofen and immunosuppression of Trypanosoma brucei infection in the goat

Goats infected with Trypanosoma brucei and treated with the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent flurbiprofen, showed a marked increase in parasitaemia, followed in one of the four goats by death. The in vitro response to mitogens of peripheral blood lymphocytes and separated T- and B-lymphocytes from healthy goats treated with flurbiprofen was normal when compared with non-treated animals. T. brucei-infected goats, not treated with flurbiprofen, showed a marked immunosuppression which was mainly localized in the B-enriched lymphocyte fraction. A combination of T. brucei infection and treatment with flurbiprofen led to even more suppression, because the T-lymphocyte function was also suppressed. It is concluded that flurbiprofen first causes a rise in the parasitaemia and that this high parasitaemia is responsible for the observed immunosuppression.     

Enhanced survival of rats concurrently infected with Trypanosoma brucei and Strongyloides ratti

The interaction between the blood protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma brucei and the gastrointestinal nematode parasite, Strongyloides ratti was studied in outbred white albino rats. Rats were grouped and given either single infection with T. brucei or S. ratti or concurrently infected with both parasites. Blood parasitaemia and packed cell volume, faecal egg/larva output, adult worm burden and survivability were monitored in order to assess the interactive effects of the infections. All trypanosome-infected rats became parasitaemic within 1 week of infection but surprisingly parasitaemia was higher in the single than concurrently infected group of rats. In addition all animals with single T. brucei infection had died by 14 days after the infection, whereas animals with concurrent infection were still alive by day 28 after the infection when the experiment was terminated. Concurrent infection resulted in significant increase in daily S. ratti egg/larval output in faeces (P < 0.01), but lesser number of adult worms were recovered from the intestine of sacrificed rats on day 8 post-infection. Taken together these results suggest that T. brucei and S. ratti interact in a manner that ameliorates their pathogenic effects resulting in a decrease in the level of parasitaemia and intestinal worm burden and in increased life span of the infected rats. These results differ from the classical immunosuppressive attributes of T. brucei and the results are discussed in the context of the possible immune responses that might have contributed to this outcome and the potential significance of the findings in alternative control method of trypanosomosis.     

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification test for Trypanosoma vivax based on satellite repeat DNA

Trypanosoma vivax is major cause of animal trypanosomiasis and responsible for enormous economic burden in Africa and South America animal industry. T. vivax infections mostly run low parasitaemia with no apparent clinical symptoms, making diagnosis a challenge. This work reports the design and evaluation of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) test for detecting T. vivax DNA based on the nuclear satellite repeat sequence. The assay is rapid with results obtained within 35 min. The analytical sensitivity is ～ 1 trypanosome/ml while that of the classical PCR tests ranged from 10 to 10(3)trypanosomes/ml. The T. vivax LAMP test reported here is simple, robust and has future potential in diagnosis of animal trypanosomiasis in the field.     

Vectorial capacity of Glossina palpalis gambiensis (Bobo Dioulasso) for Trypanosoma brucei brucei EATRO 1125]

A total of 440 teneral Glossina palpalis gambiensis received one single bloodmeal on a guinea pig infected chronically with Trypanosoma brucei brucei EATRO 1125. Metacyclic infections were present in 11.29% of the flies, in 2.32% infections were limited to procyclical stages. No significant difference in vectorial capacity was observed between male and female flies, the level of metacyclic infections being 13.19% in the former and 9.55% in the latter. The parasitaemia level, the percentage of stumpy forms at the moment of the blood meal and the maintenance conditions of the flies seemed to influence the infection of the flies.     

Trypanosome infection rate in cattle at Nguruman, Kenya

Trypanosome infection rate in cattle at Nguruman was investigated in a study conducted in 1984-1986. Shifting pastoralism significantly reduced trypanosome infections in cattle. The cattle were more heavily infected with Trypanosoma congolense (16.5%) than Trypanosoma vivax (4.95%) and Trypanosoma brucei (0.19%). Trypanosoma theileri was observed only once among the cattle examined. Mixed trypanosome infections in cattle were observed to be 2.75% and 0.014% for T. congolense/T. vivax and T. congolense/T. brucei, respectively. The duration of infection in the cattle was 55 days for T. congolense and 79 days for T. vivax. High infections in cattle were observed 2 months after the rains, which were concomitant with high tsetse densities.     

Association of infectivity, parasitaemia and virulence in a serodeme of Trypanosoma congolense

Quantitative methods were adopted to study the course of Trypanosoma congolense infection in mice and goats. The ease of initiating infection with a single organism (clone) was found to show a smooth correlation with the virulence of 24 isolates. Virulence of T. congolense was found to be directly related to the degree of viability of the parasite but inversely proportional to the capacity of the host to limit parasitaemia. Isolates obtained from the goat in the early stage of the infection were found to be highly infective but moderately virulent; subsequent isolates were of low infectivity and low virulence. Organisms obtained at the terminal stage of the infection were highly virulent. Generally, the highly virulent clones produced rapidly high parasitaemia and mortality in the host. The low virulence clones were characterised by low parasitaemia but very pronounced remission of trypanosomaemia.     

Study on the antioxidant status of rats experimentally infected with Trypanosoma evansi

The antioxidant status of rats experimentally infected with Trypanosoma evansi isolated from a camel was studied using established parasitological, haematological and biochemical methods. The results indicated that infections in all rats resulted in a fulminating parasitaemia. Changes in blood parameters in T. evansi-infected rats indicated leukocytosis and a macrocytic hypochromic anaemia. A degree of anisocytosis was also observed. The activities of plasma glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and glutathione peroxidase in whole blood of infected rats were significantly higher (p<0.05 and p<0.001, respectively) compared with control. No statistically significant difference was observed in the activity of superoxide dismutase in infected and control rats. Results obtained indicated that trypanosomosis caused oxidative stress and induced antioxidant enzymes.     

Comparative haematological changes following Trypanosoma vivax and T. congolense infections in Zebu bulls

A comparative study of haematological changes subsequent to Trypanosoma vivax and Trypanosoma congolense infections was carried out using 24 Zebu bulls during a period of 12 weeks. Eight bulls were infected with T. vivax, another eight with T. congolense and eight served as controls. Infected bulls developed chronic trypanosomiasis which was characterized by many clinical manifestations including intermittent pyrexia. Elevated rectal temperatures of up to 105 and 106 degrees F were recorded, respectively, in all bulls infected with T. vivax or T. congolense. Mean parasitaemia was higher and more chronic in T. congolense-infected bulls and ranged between means of 0 and 3.06 in all infected bulls. There was a slight and transient drop in packed cell volume (PCV) of T. vivax-infected bulls as against a marked and more chronic drop in T. congolense-infected bulls. Mean PCV of T. vivax- and T. congolense-infected bulls and controls ranged between 28 and 38, 17 and 38, and 31 and 38%, respectively. Haemoglobin (Hb) concentrations also decreased in infected bulls. The decrease was greater and more chronic in the T. congolense-infected bulls. Values ranged between means of 10.47 and 13.84, 5.44 and 14.16, and 10.24 and 14.12 g dl-1 in T. vivax- and T. congolense-infected and control bulls, respectively. Total plasma proteins also decreased in infected bulls; this was more marked in the T. congolense-infected group. Values for T. vivax-infected, T. congolense-infected and control bulls ranged between means of 7.66 and 8.99, 6.26 and 8.81, and 7.94 and 8.78 g dl-1, respectively.2+ that the indigenous T. vivax strains are more     

The pathophysiology of ovine trypanosomosis: haematological and blood biochemical changes.

The course of Trypanosoma congolense infection in sheep was followed for 96 days. Infected animals developed fluctuating parasitaemia, macrocytic normochromic anaemia and leucocytosis which was principally a lymphocytosis. Following treatment with the trypanocidal drug, diminazene aceturate at 84 days after infection, the haematological values returned to normal within 12 days. Infected sheep developed hypocholesterolaemia and hypophospholipidaemia leading to a reduction in total serum lipids. This study has shown that sheep infected with T. congolense develop anaemia, the onset of which follows the first wave of parasitaemia. The changes in blood lipids observed in infected sheep appeared to be related to the intensity and duration of parasitaemia.     

Effects of vasopressor drugs on number of Trypanosoma congolense in ruminant blood

The effects of intravenous administration of vasopressor drugs on parasite concentration was studied in cows and sheep infected with Trypanosoma congolense. Ephedrine (USP), adrenaline (BP) and insulin increased jugular concentration of the parasite. Maximum effects were reached between 1 1/2 and 2 h with ephedrine and at 2 1/2-3 h with adrenaline. Increases in parasitaemia resulting from epinephrine were sustained only in sheep and adrenaline gave similar effects in both ruminants. Only epinephrine significantly increased parasitaemia within 45 min of administration. Ephedrine, hydralazine and guanethidine had no significant effects on parasitaemia. It is suggested that one of the mechanisms by which trypanocides increase jugular concentration of T. congolense may be by vasoconstriction of the capillary endothelium.     

Babesia equi and Trypanosoma vivax infections in donkeys

Six donkeys (Equus asinus) were purchased locally. To screen them before and during Trypanosoma vivax infection, thin and thick blood smears, temperature, haematocrit centrifuge technique (HCT), packed cell volume (PCV), white blood cell counts, and indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT) were done for Babesia equi. For the IFAT, an anti-horse conjugate was used. In spite of patent B. equi or T. vivax parasitaemia, the donkeys' temperatures remained below 38.5 degrees C; PCV was depressed more in B. equi infection than in T. vivax infection. Four out of the 6 donkeys had B. equi antibodies while 2 of them had detectable parasitaemia. Treatment with either Berenil or Imizol cleared the detectable B. equi parasitaemia, and IFAT was negative at 35-45 days post treatment. However, relapses occurred within 60-70 days after the treatment. In 2 circumstances serological titres were below 1:40 (negative) while there was detectable parasitaemia.     

The interaction of Trypanosoma congolense and Haemonchus contortus infections in trypanotolerant N'Dama cattle.

The interactions between Trypanosoma congolense and Haemonchus contortus infections were studied in N'Dama calves. A total of 38 N'Dama bulls was divided into four groups and each group infected either with H. contortus 1 week after infection with T. congolense or with T. congolense 4 weeks after infection with H. contortus, or with either infection singly. Parasitological (faecal egg counts, parasitaemia), haematological (packed cell volume, white blood cell counts, albumin) and clinical parameters (body weight change, mortality rate) were compared among the various groups. The results showed a reduced prepatent period and a markedly increased pathogenicity of H. contortus infections in animals with a concurrent T. congolense infection. The most harmful combination was a H. contortus infection 1 week after the T. congolense infection which resulted in a progressive and severe anaemia, accompanied by hypoalbuminaemia, increased weight loss and high mortality. The anaemia induced by dual infections showed a low responsiveness to chemotherapy and in several cases supportive treatment did not help recovery. The results also showed that animals with a concurrent T. congolense and H. contortus infection ran a higher risk of succumbing during the infection, and also during 10 weeks following treatment. Although infections with T. congolense alone produced no clinical signs, they were found to significantly reduce the ability of infected animals to mount a normal response to a subsequent H. contortus infection. It was concluded that the increased H. contortus egg excretion observed in animals infected with both parasites might significantly increase the risk of nematode infections and that the reduced prepatent period might necessitate more frequent anthelmintic treatments. These interactions should, therefore, be considered wherever attempts are made to control these two diseases.     

Erythrocyte response to Trypanosoma brucei in experimentally infected dogs.

Trypanosoma brucei infection produced an acute and fatal disease in Nigerian mongrel dogs due to a rapidly developing anaemia. Infected dogs responded with increased reticulocytosis, which was not sustained with chronicity. In comparison the response to artificially-induced haemolytic anaemia was progressive, marked and sustained. The anaemia of T. brucei infection of dogs was either normocytic normochromic in acute infection or microcytic normochromic in chronic infection. Artificially-induced haemolytic anaemia was either macrocytic normochromic or normocytic normochromic. The erythropoietic potential of plasma in vivo in mice increased in T. brucei-infected dogs except at the terminal parasitaemia. The anaemia in Trypanosoma brucei-infected dogs is therefore initially responsive but becomes poorly involved with chronicity.