Study on the infectivity of Trypanosoma evansi isolate in Savannah Brown bucks

Abstract

The infectivity of an isolate of Trypanosoma evans; was investigated using five infected and four uninfected control Savannah brown bucks. The goats were each infected intravenously via the jugular vein with approximately 3.0 x 106 T. evans; parasites. Following the infection, clinical signs observed, pa rasitaemia, haematological parameters were measured for 59 days. Body weights were determined once in a week for the duration of the experiment. All infected bucks developed clinical trypanosomosis. The prepatent period varied between 7 and 11 days whil e the rectal temperatures were significantly higher (p<0.05), the mean values of haematological parameters dropped significantly (p<0.05) compared to the pre-infection levels. Clinical signs observed in this experiment included dullness, emaciation, recumbency and anaemia. It is suggested that the isolate was pathogenic and infective for Savannah brown bucks.