Chemoprophylaxis with diminazene aceturate in experimental Babesia bigemina infection in cattle.
Four-month-old fully susceptible cross bred calves were immunised against Babesia bigemina infection by treating them, during the prepatent period, with one or two doses of diminazene aceturate at 3 mg (kg bodyweight)-1. After 45 days the recovered calves were challenged with the homologous strain of B bigemina infected blood. The ensuing host responses, body temperature, parasitaemia, haemoglobin, packed cell volume, haemoglobinuria, capillary agglutinating antibodies and mortality, were studied. The four untreated control calves developed a severe form of the disease with classical symptoms and two died. Calves of both groups which recovered resisted the challenge infection with a mild relapse in the immunised group, thus indicating a state of premunition. The effect of one dose of diminazene was sufficient to suppress all the clinical effects of the disease.
D000578:Amidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001769:Blood / Q000469:parasitology; D001831:Body Temperature; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004133:Diminazene / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors
D000578:Amidines; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; C003915:diminazene aceturate; D004133:Diminazene