No abstract

Trypanosomosis is one of the major diseases hindering livestock production in tropical Africa. The disease negatively impacts on food production and economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa. African animal trypanosomosis is a debilitating and often fatal disease of animals, caused by infection with pathogenic protozoan parasites of the genus ‘Trypanosoma’. Recent prevalence study for the infection in ruminants reared in two Southern states of Nigeria (Rivers and Abia) gave zero by the wet mount and buffy coat methods which only suggests low prevalence and may not mean that the infection has been eliminated in the country. More sensitive methods may detect low prevalence. It also suggests that common breeds of ruminants in the area may be genetically resistant to the infection or that they have acquired resistance. Relapse to susceptibility is still possible. So, prophylactic medications and other methods of control for the infection is still necessary in the area.

To reduce Chloroquine's (CQ) side effects, so that increasing its duration for anti-Covid-19 trials could be safe, the drug was potentiated by stabilizing it with Medicinal synthetic Aluminum-magnesium silicate (MSAMS). CQ-treatment for five Plasmodium berghie-infected mice-groups were: 7 mg/kg (normal dose); 7 mg/kg (CQ-MSAMS); 7 mg/kg (CQ-MSAMS + B-vitamins), 5.25 mg/kg (CQ-MSAMS + B-vitamins) and the control. Means of parasitaemia, 42.00 ± 15.74 of the normal-dose group, 37.22 ± 11.88 of the 7 mg/kg (CQ-MSAMS) group and 33.57 ± 12.62 of the 7 mg/kg (CQ-MSAMS + B-vitamins) group showed no significant (P ≥ 0.05) reduction from 52.50 ± 11.99 of the control, but the 5.25 mg/kg (CQ-MSAMS + B-vitamins) dose, cleared (P ≤ 0.01) the parasiteamia (00.00 ± 00.00), showing that MSAMS-potentiated Chloroquine, has best efficacy at 75% of the recommended dose. Fever and anemia were absent at that 5.25 mg/kg, suggesting that lower doses of CQ have reduced side effects.

The effects of diminazene aceturate (DA), levamisole, and/or vitamin A on hematological and clinical parameters of West African dwarf sheep experimentally infected with Trypanosoma brucei were studied. Twenty-four adult sheep were randomly assigned to 6 groups of 4 animals. They were infected with 1 × 10 6 trypanosomes intravenously (groups 2-6) or were uninfected (group 1). Treatment was administered 2 weeks post infection (PI) in all treated groups, except group 5, which was treated 3 weeks PI. Group 2 (positive control) received 7 mg/kg DA. Group 3 received 7 mg DA and 5 mg levamisole per kilogram of body weight. Group 4 received 7 mg/kg DA and 50,000 IU of vitamin A. Group 5 received 7 mg/kg DA and 50,000 IU of vitamin A. Group 6 received 7 mg/kg DA, 5 mg/kg levamisole, and 50,000 IU of vitamin A. Parameters monitored were parasitemia, respiratory and pulse rates, rectal temperature, body weight changes, packed cell volume (PCV), hemoglobin (Hb) concentration, red blood cell counts, and clinical signs. Treatments were successful in all groups with no relapse recorded. Sheep in groups 6, 3, and 4 had significantly (P < 0.05) higher PCV and Hb than those treated with DA only or with DA and vitamin A at 3 weeks PI.