title: Diminazene aceturate in the control of Trypanosoma evansi infection in cats.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of diminazene aceturate in the control of the infection by Trypanosoma evansi in cats. Fourteen animals were infected with 10(8) trypomastigote forms each and six were used as negative control (group A). Seven of the infected cats were used as positive control (group B) and seven were treated with diminazene aceturate (3.5 mg kg(-1)) for 5 consecutive days (group C). Biochemical and hematological parameters were evaluated during the experiment. Blood with anticoagulant was collected at day 49 post-inoculation and preserved in ethanol for DNA extraction. Samples were analyzed using PCR T. evansi-specific to assess the effectiveness of treatment. The treatment with diminazene aceturate had an efficacy of 85.7%. Alanine aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyltransferase, urea, and creatinine values remained within the normal physiological range in the treated cats. Hemogram was normalized in all the cured animals. Therefore, the therapy used is effective in controlling T. evansi in cats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Camobi-9, Prédio 20, Sala 4232, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil. aleksandro_ss@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Da Silva
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Zanette
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wolkmer
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: S T A
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Santurio
authors.forename: M M G
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Monteiro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002415:Cats; D004133:Diminazene / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D005260:Female; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D013997:Time Factors; D014345:Trypanosoma / Q000502:physiology; D014352:Trypanosomiasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D004133:Diminazene