Trypanosomosis of The Dromedary Camel (Camelus dromedarius) and its Vectors in The Tsetse-free Arid Zone of North Eastern, Nigeria

A cross sectional study on trypanosomosis of the dromedary camel (Camelus dromadarius) and its vectors in the tsetse free zone of northeastern Nigeria was undertaken. Out of 410 camels examined during the 12 month study period, 115 were infected. This was madeup of 94(22.42%) males and 21(5.12%) females. This difference was significant (

An Assessment Of The Efficacy Of Dfmo In Baboons (Papio Anubis) Infected With Trypanosma Brucei Gambiense

Infection of four baboons with Trypanosma brucei gambiense resulted in a prepatent period of 3 – 4 days. Following the first appearance of T. b. gambiense parasitaemia, the animals developed trypanosomosis characterised by elevated parasite counts in the blood, fever, increased heart and respiratory rates and increased capillary refill time. The disease was also associated with pallor of visible mucous membranes, oedema, increased reticulocyte counts, progressive decline in erythrocyte indices (RBC, Hb and PCV), consistent monocytosis, and leucopenia due to lymphopenia and neutropenia. These clinical signs and widespread pathological changes seen in the liver, kidney, lymph nodes, heart and brain were progressive with the disease. The disease also disrupted the circadian rhythmicity of sleep and wakefulness between weeks 8 and 10 when the animals were in the classical diurnal sleepiness with 8 - 10 sleep episodes and nocturnal restlessness. All the infected baboons died from the attendant disease between the 8 and 10 weeks of infection. Treatment with Berenil or DFMO at 4 weeks post infection reversed most of the clinical, haematological and pathological changes, the CSF-WBC counts and cleared the parasites from the circulation of the infected baboons. However, there was relapse parasitaemia by 18 and 20 weeks respectively post infection in the groups treated with DFMO and Berenil. The results of this study suggest that baboons manifest similar clinical and pathological lesions as man infected with T. b. gambiense and might therefore be a useful model for the study of the human disease. Furthermore, the results suggest the therapeutic usefulness of DFMO in the treatment of human and animal trypanosomosis due to T. b. gambiense

Parasitic Infections of the African Giant Rat (Cricetomys Gambianus) in the Semi-Arid Region of Northeastern, Nigeria

A study of the internal and external parasites infections of the African giant rat (Cricetomys gambianus) was undertaken using standard parasitological methods. Of the 100 wild giant rats captured, 22(43.14%) males and 16(32.65%) females harboured gastrointestinal parasites. Similarly, 14(31.11%) juveniles and 24(43.64%) adults were also infected. Thevarious species of gastrointestinal parasites recovered from the giant rats at post-mortem were Hymenolepis nana 19(50%), Ancylostoma caninum 4(10.53%), Strongyloides stercoralis 7(18.42%), Aspicularis tetraptera 5(13.16%) and Taenia cysts 3(7.89%). The post-mortem worm counts showed that Hymenolepis nana had the highest burden than the otherhelminths. At the same time, 12(23.53%) males, 10(20.41) females, 14(31.11%) juveniles and 8(14.55%) adults also harboured various degree of ectoparasitic infestations. No statistical variation was observed on the prevalence of ectoparasitic infestations according to sex (p>0.05) however, juveniles 14(31.11%) were significantly (

Infection of Oesophagostomum columbianum in Small ruminants of the Nigerian Sahel Region and its Economic Importance

Nigerian Veterinary Journal, Vol. 32(3): 2011; 162 - 16

Studies on Serum Haemolytic Complement and Haematological Parameters in Apparently Healthy Dromedary Camels (Camelus Dromedarius) in Northern Nigeria

Studies on serum haemolytic compliment and haematological parameters in 330 apparently healthy dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) were conducted in northern, Nigeria. The survey was conducted in the abattoirs of three major northern cities of Maiduguri, Kano and Sokoto. The parameters measured using standard procedures were complement level via the classicalpathway (CH ), packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cell 50 (RBC) and white blood cell counts (WBC). Mean CH units in 50 the camels investigated was 360 ± 15.8. In addition, PCV 12 (32.9 ± 1.5), total RBC (10.2 x 10 /L ± 1.2) and WBC (7.2 x 109 ± 1.3) values were obtained. There was no significant(p>0.05) differences between sexes and ages in all the parameters studied. The result obtained can be used as preliminary data in the investigation of the role of complement and blood cells in some immune mediated parasitic, bacterial and viral diseases of the dromedary camel in the study area

Ivermectin treatment of Loa loa hyper-microfilaraemic baboons (Papio anubis): Assessment of microfilarial loads, haematological and biochemical parameters and histopathological changes following treatment.

Individuals with high intensity of Loa loa are at risk of developing serious adverse events (SAEs) post treatment with ivermectin. These SAEs have remained unclear and a programmatic impediment to the advancement of community directed treatment with ivermectin. The pathogenesis of these SAEs following ivermectin has never been investigated experimentally. The Loa/baboon (Papio anubis) model can be used to investigate the pathogenesis of Loa-associated encephalopathy following ivermectin treatment in humans. 12 baboons with microfilarial loads > 8,000mf/mL of blood were randomised into four groups: Group 1 (control group receiving no drug), Group 2 receiving ivermectin (IVM) alone, Group 3 receiving ivermectin plus aspirin (IVM + ASA), and Group 4 receiving ivermectin plus prednisone (IVM + PSE). Blood samples collected before treatment and at Day 5, 7 or 10 post treatment, were analysed for parasitological, hematological and biochemical parameters using standard techniques. Clinical monitoring of animals for side effects took place every 6 hours post treatment until autopsy. At autopsy free fluids and a large number of standard organs were collected, examined and tissues fixed in 10% buffered formalin and processed for standard haematoxylin-eosin staining and specific immunocytochemical staining. Mf counts dropped significantly (p0.05). All animals became withdrawn 48 hours after IVM administration. All treated animals recorded clinical manifestations including rashes, itching, diarrhoea, conjunctival haemorrhages, lymph node enlargement, pinkish ears, swollen face and restlessness; one animal died 5 hours after IVM administration. Macroscopic changes in post-mortem tissues observed comprised haemorrhages in the brain, lungs, heart, which seen in all groups given ivermectin but not in the untreated animals. Microscopically, the major cellular changes seen, which were present in all the ivermectin treated animals included microfilariae in varying degrees of degeneration in small vessels. These were frequently associated with fibrin deposition, endothelial changes including damage to the integrity of the blood vessel and the presence of extravascular erythrocytes (haemorrhages). There was an increased presence of eosinophils and other chronic inflammatory types in certain tissues and organs, often in large numbers and associated with microfilarial destruction. Highly vascularized organs like the brain, heart, lungs and kidneys were observed to have more microfilariae in tissue sections. The number of mf seen in the brain and kidneys of animals administered IVM alone tripled that of control animals. Co-administration of IVM + PSE caused a greater increase in mf in the brain and kidneys while the reverse was noticed with the co-administration of IVM + ASA. The treatment of Loa hyper-microfilaraemic individuals with ivermectin produces a clinical spectrum that parallels that seen in Loa hyper-microfilaraemic humans treated with ivermectin. The utilization of this experimental model can contribute to the improved management of the adverse responses in humans

A Retrospective Study on The Prevalence of Fasciola Infection in Sheep and Goats at Slaughter and Associated Economic Losses from Condemnation of Infected Liver in Maiduguri Abattoir, Nigeria

A retrospective study on the prevalence of fasciolosis among small ruminants (sheep and goats) slaughtered at Maiduguri, metropolitan abattoir and the associated economic losses from condemnation of infected liver were estimated between January 2004 – December2009. Out of the 15, 113 sheep and 9, 617 goats examined during the period, 123(0.49%) and 70(0.28%) were infected with fasciolosis respectively. There was no statistical variation (P>0.05) on theprevalence of infection between the two species of ruminants. However, according to age, out of the 3, 959 young sheep and 4, 417 young goats (12 months) and goats examined, 103(0.68%) and 63(0.66%) were infected respectively. Among the sheep, the adults were found to be moreinfected than the young. Statistically, the difference was significant (p0.05) existed between age groups. According to sex, out of the 7, 097 male sheep and 4, 839 male goats examined, 56(0.37%) and 25(0.26%) were infected with fasciolosis respectively. Similarly, out of the 8, 016 female sheep and 4, 778 female goats examined, 67(0.44%) and 45(0.47%) were infected respectively. Among sheep, both male and female were equally infected (p>0.05). The difference was not significant. According to season, both sheep and goats were more infected during the rainy than the dry season. The difference was statistically significant (

Effect of Cymerlarsan and Berenil on clinico-pathological changes in red fronted gazelles (Gazella ruf ifrons) experimentally infected with Trypanosoma brucei

No Abstract.Nigerian Veterinary Journal Vol. 29 (3) 2008: pp. 27-4