The effect of dl-%- Diffluoromethylornithine (DFMO) alone and its combination with Diminazene aceturate (Berenil®) treatments on the leucocytic response of T.b. brucei infected pigs was investigated. Weaning pigs were experimentally infected with T. b. brucei and monitored pre and post treatment with the test drugs for parasitaemia and leucogramic changes. The infection caused overall increases in leucocyte numbers which remained high even after treatment. The leucocytosis was characterized by lymphocytosis which did not normalize with treatment, neutropaenia which rose to pre-infection level with treatments, eosinophilia and monocytosis which slowly returned to pre-infection values following treatments. It is concluded that pigs's response to T.b. brucei infections may include a lymphocyte dominated leucocytosis which is partially sensitive to DFMO or its combination with Berenil® treatments. Key Words: Trypanosoma brucei, pigs, diffluoromethylornithine, diminazene aceturate. Trop. Vet. Vol. 21: (4) 192-199 (2003)
To explore the mechanisms for production performance enhancement effects of Superliv®(Superliv), an Ayurvedic proprietary herbal supplement for livestock and poultry, post peak Shika Brown layers were exposed to the herbal mixture in feed and monitored over 12 weeks for effects on some blood chemistry and egg quality parameters. Fifty post peak Shika Brown layer chickens that have been in lay for over 38 weeks were randomly assigned to treatment groups A-E of 10 birds each. Group A hens received plain feed and served as control while groups B, C, D or E were fed diets supplemented with Superliv at the rate of 250g, 500g, 750g or 1000g per ton respectively, during a study period of 12 weeks. They were assessed before supplementation and subsequently, weekly; for biochemical parameters such as whole blood glucose, total serum protein, serum albumin and globulin as well as egg quality factors including: egg weight, albumen index, percentage shell, shell thickness, specific gravity and Haugh unit scores. From the results obtained, Superliv supplementation in feed caused significant decreases in overall mean total serum proteins (p<0.010) and serum albumin (p<0.018), increases in overall mean whole blood glucose concentration (p<0.020) but no significant changes in serum globulin as well as all egg quality factors evaluated. It is suggested that Superliv may promote production performance in post peak Shika Brown hens by enhancing the mobilization of plasma proteins into tissue sites for egg and body weight building. No adverse changes in egg quality traits may be associated with Superliv feed supplementation in layers. Keywords: Superliv, Blood chemistry, Egg quality, Feed supplements, Layers
The experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of hyperglycaemia on the trypanocidal efficacy of diminazene aceturate. Groups of alloxan-induced diabetic rats infected with T. brucei and T. congolense were treated with diminazene aceturate, and trypanocidal effects compared with normal non-diabetic controls. Results showed that the prepatent period was shorter in the diabetic (11.25±1.65 days) than non-diabetic-T. congolense (15.0±1.73 days), and also variations in responses to the trypanocidal therapy between the diabetic and non-diabetic groups were detected. Parasite clearance time did not differ significantly between the diabetic and non-diabetic (43.2±8.89 versus 52.8±8.89 hours in T. brucei and 33.6±5.9 versus 36.0±6.93 hours in T. congolense, respectively). The relapse intervals were shorter in the diabetic than non-diabetic (16 days versus 23 days in T. brucei , and 7 days versus 14 days in T. congolense , respectively). Proportion of relapses was greater in the diabetic- (100%) than non-diabetic-T. congolense (66.7%). We also find parasite species-related differences in susceptibility to the trypanocide, with a higher apparent cure rate in the T. brucei than T. congolense group. We conclude from the results of this study that the chemotherapeutic effectiveness of diminazene aceturate may be diminished in patients with diabetes mellitus. Further study is needed to validate this hypothesis.
The effects of Superliv ® , a proprietary herbal feed additive, on some haematological parameters of laying hens were evaluated to determine the possible influence of the herbal feed supplement on the physiological status of laying birds in declining production phase of their life cycle. Fifty post peak Shika Brown layers were randomly assigned to five experimental groups (A-E) of 10 birds each. Group A birds were fed plain feed while groups B, C, D and E birds received feed supplemented with Superliv at the rate of 250g, 500g, 750g or 1000g per ton respectively over an experimental period of 12 weeks. They were monitored group wise, weekly, for some haematological parameters such as packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cell count (RBC), blood haemoglobin concentration (Hb), white blood cell count (WBC), erythrocyte indices and differential WBC counts. Superliv supplementation caused significant increases in PCV (P 0.05) changes in WBC, erythrocyte indices and differential WBC counts. The effects were most marked in the group that received 250g/ton of Superliv in feed. It is suggested that Superliv may induce production enhancement effects in post peak layers by acting as a haematenic. 250g/ton is recommended as the optimal inclusion rate for Superliv in layers’ feed.
Most bacteria causing fish diseases in Nigeria have been observed to be susceptible to aminoglycosides like streptomycin. However, route of administration for effective therapy has been a challenge due to the reported poor intestinal absorption, hence a need to study its kinetics. Clarias gariepinus were divided into four groups of 14 fish each. Fish in A were Staphylococcus aureus-infected while those in B were uninfected and both received streptomycin by bath at 70 mg/l, while it was 70 mg/kg via gastric gavage for groups C which were Staphylococcus aureus-infected and D which were uninfected. Blood and tissue collection was done between 1 and 120 h post exposure to streptomycin. Samples were analyzed by ELISA, while some portions of tissues of infected fish were fixed for histopathology. Sum of area under curve values for serum and kidney (AUC0–8h) were 5876.5 μg h/l and 399,287 μg h/kg; 4519.3 μg h/l and 183,474 μg h/kg; 27,771.2 μg h/l and 82,539 μg h/kg; as well as 18,768.4 μg h/l and 33,252.5 μg h/kg respectively for groups A, B, C and D. Microscopically the lesions were localized and extensive hepatic coagulative necrosis with diffuse tubular necrosis. Possible systemic therapeutic value is suggested, depending on increased distribution of streptomycin and levels of streptomycin in kidneys of diseased fish at corresponding times being higher than in sera.
The influence of seasons on the haematological indices were studied in the grey breasted guinea fowl (Numida meleagris galeata pallas) in the arid zone of Borno State. Blood samples for haematological analysis were collected from the wing vein of the birds. The RBC counts and PCV values were significantly (P<0.05) increased during the hot weather period compared to the values obtained in the cold period. This increase may be due to decreased plasma volume resulting from increase in body water loss at high ambient temperatures
