Amelioration of virulent Babesia bovis infection in calves by administration of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor aminoguanidine.
Calves undergoing initial infection with a virulent strain of the haemoprotozoan parasite Babesia bovis were treated with aminoguanidine (AG), an inhibitor of the inducible form of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). The mean maximum parasitaemia of the AG treated calves was significantly lower than that of the control cattle. In addition, the febrile response and decrease in packed cell volume (PCV) observed during acute infection were significantly ameliorated in the AG treated cattle relative to the controls. However, AG had no effect on the multiplication of B. bovis in the microaerophilous stationary-phase (MASP) in-vitro culture system. These results provide evidence of a role for nitric oxide (NO) produced in response to acute infection in the pathology of bovine babesiosis.
Gale
K R
KR
Cooperative Research Centre for Vaccine Technology and CSIRO Tropical Agriculture, Private Mail Bag No. 3, Indooroopilly, Q 4068, Australia.
Waltisbuhl
D J
DJ
Bowden
J M
JM
Jorgensen
W K
WK
Matheson
J
J
East
I J
IJ
Zakrzewski
H
H
Leatch
G
G
D000740:Anemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D016793:Babesia bovis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005334:Fever / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary; D006146:Guanidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology / Q000503:physiopathology
D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D006146:Guanidines; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C004479:pimagedine