Effects of infection with Trypanosoma brucei brucei on different trimesters of pregnancy in ewes.
The effects of Trypanosoma brucei brucei infection during the first, second or third trimesters of pregnancy in 13 ewes were studied. All infected ewes were anaemic with the anaemia being most severe, moderate and least in ewes infected in the second, third and first trimesters, respectively. Weight loss occurred in all infected ewes but was most severe in ewes infected in the third trimester. Three of the four ewes infected in the first trimester died without aborting while one aborted and later died. Of the four ewes infected in the second trimester, three died without aborting while one lambed and later died. In the third trimester ewes, one aborted, two lambed and all three later died while one died without aborting. None of the lambs was viable. The control ewe lambed normally. The infection resulted in 16.7% abortion, 100% death and 33.3% neonatal deaths. This study demonstrates that T. brucei brucei has a devastating effect on pregnancy irrespective of the trimester of infection.
Edeghere
H
H
Pathology, Epidemiology and Statistics Division, Nigerian Institute for Trypanosomiasis Research, Kaduna.
Elhassan
E
E
Abenga
J
J
Osue
H O
HO
Lawani
F A
FA
Falope
O
O
D000034:Abortion, Veterinary / Q000209:etiology; D000740:Anemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001831:Body Temperature; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D006400:Hematocrit / Q000662:veterinary; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000662:veterinary*; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei; D014353:Trypanosomiasis, African / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000662:veterinary*