Experimental Trypanosoma evansi infection in the goat. I. Clinical signs and clinical pathology.
A strain of Trypanosoma evansi isolated from an equine case of surra in Mindanao, Philippines was used to infect intravenously two groups (A and B) of five male goats aged 8-10 months. Animals of groups A and B received 5000 and 50 000 trypanosomes, respectively, and five further animals (group C) served as uninfected controls. Four of the 10 infected goats died 8-78 days after inoculation. Group C goats gained weight (mean 22.8 g/day) while infected goats in groups A and B lost weight (means of 21.4 and 45.0 g/day, respectively). Parasitaemia fluctuated regularly between peaks and troughs, with repeated periods of about 6 days during which no trypanosomes were detected in the blood. Clinical signs and clinico-pathological changes in infected goats were not pathognomonic in the absence of parasites in the blood, and leucocytosis was not a reliable indicator of infection. It was concluded that in endemic areas fluctuating fever, progressive emaciation, anaemia, coughing, testicular enlargement and diarrhoea are suggestive of surra; confirmation, however, may necessitate examination of blood every few days for trypanosomes, and possibly other diagnostic tests.
Dargantes
A P
AP
College of Veterinary Medicine, Central Mindanao University, Musuan 8710, Bukidnon, Philippines.
Reid
S A
SA
Copeman
D B
DB
D000740:Anemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary; D004614:Emaciation / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D005334:Fever / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006041:Goats; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D007964:Leukocytosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology; D014345:Trypanosoma / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014352:Trypanosomiasis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*
D006454:Hemoglobins