The decline of anti-trypanosomal antibody levels in cattle after treatment with trypanocidal drugs and in the absence of tsetse challenge.
The decline of anti-trypanosomal antibody levels in cattle after treatment with trypanocidal drugs was investigated using an anti-trypanosomal antibody-detection enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The decline of antibody levels differed between experimental animals but went through two phases. During the first 5 months after trypanocidal drug treatment, the decline is rapid with a monthly average decline of 10% of the average percentage positivity during the treatment. Between months 6 and 13 after treatment, the monthly average decline was only 3.6% of the average percentage positivity at the moment of treatment. It took a total of 13 months for all the experimental animals to become seronegative. The usefulness of the anti-trypanosomal antibody-detection enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in the monitoring of tsetse control operations is discussed.
Van den Bossche
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P
Regional Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Control Programme (RTTCP), P.O. Box A560, Harare, Zimbabwe. pvdbossche@itg.be
Chigoma
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D
Shumba
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W
D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D002417:Cattle; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014348:Trypanosoma congolense / Q000276:immunology*; D014353:Trypanosomiasis, African / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission; D014370:Tsetse Flies / Q000469:parasitology*
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents