Effect of experimental trypanosomosis on body weight, packed cells volume and reproductive characteristics in <i>Gudali zebu</i> and <i>Namchi</i> taurine bulls

Abstract

Thirty-two young Gudali zebus and Namchi taurine bulls were infected to assess the effect of trypanosomosis on body weight (BW), packed cells volume (PCV) and some reproductive characteristics such as scrotal circumference (SC) and Testosterone (T), Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) blood levels. Gudali zebus are known to be trypanosusceptible, while Namchi taurine are trypanotolerant. Trypanosomes were detected in the blood stream 14 days post infection. Parasitaemia reached the maximum on day 28 post infection. Trypanosoma infection led to significant decrease in weight gain (WG), PCV and SC. These parameters were significantly lower in infected Gudali, compared to Namchi. There was a negative correlation (r = -0.66) between parasitaemia and PCV levels. Clinical signs such as fever, weakness, rough coat and weight loss were exhibited by day 28 post infection in Gudali bulls. There were significant differences between infected Gudali and Namchi for FSH and T levels. Significant negative correlations were registered between T levels and BW (r = -0.41) and scrotal circumference (r = -0.49).

Early stage leucocytosis in Nigerian pigs experimentally infected with <i>Trypanosoma brucei</i>

“…Although pancytopenia constitutes a major hematological derangement feature of African trypanosomiases, nature and severity are often determined by specie, strain of infecting trypanosomes, parasitaemia and host factors (Mbaya et al, 2012;Kilekoung et al, 2014;Ukpai and Nwabuko, 2014) while the ability to control or resist the development of parasitemia and anemia had been identified as hallmarks of trypanotolerance in animals. Trypanosoma brucei brucei like other members of the T. brucei sub group, human infective, T. brucei gambiense and T. b. rhodesiense cause stage dependent pathology, characterized by early and late stage clinical diseases in animals that mimic sleeping sickness in man (Allam et al, 2011;Abenga, 2014) and are accompanied by variation in hematological changes depending on species and strain of trypanosome.…”