title: Immunisation of cattle in Zimbabwe using Theileria parva (Boleni) without concurrent tetracycline therapy.
abstract: Five hundred and ten cattle were immunised using the Theileria parva (Boleni) stock without concurrent chemotherapy with tetracycline on 2 farms in Zimbabwe, both of which had a history of theileriosis. The stabilate had been titrated in Friesian calves to determine a 50% protective dose (PD50) and 2 or 3 (PD50s) were used to immunise the cattle. None of the cattle showed a clinical reaction following the immunisation procedure. However, the cattle were shown to have responded immunologically on testing for antibodies to a T. parva antigen in an indirect fluorescent antibody test. The immunised cattle were then exposed to a natural field challenge causing severe theileriosis in control cattle. Immunisation against theileriosis without the need for concurrent chemotherapy is much less expensive than the infection and treatment method (US $2.72) compared to US $10.23 in the first year) and would be much more attractive to commercial and traditional farmers.
authors.affiliation: Food and Agriculture Organisation, Department of Veterinary Services, Project Studies on Theileriosis and Strategic Tick Control, Harare, Zimbabwe.
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Kanhai
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Pegram
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Hargreaves
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hove
authors.forename: T T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Dolan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology; D002417:Cattle; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D007114:Immunization / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D015994:Incidence; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016797:Theileria parva / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D013801:Theileriasis / Q000191:economics / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015030:Zimbabwe / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D013752:Tetracycline