Sensitivity of Bovine Trypanosoma vivax Isolate Using Three Trypanocidal Drugs in Experimentally Induced Caprine Trypanosomosis

There were reports of widespread trypanocidal drugs resistant in the whole of the African continent as no newer trypanocides were available especially in Nigeria, hence bovine trypanosomosis still remains an obstacle to livestock production. A bovine isolate (Trypanosoma vivax) obtained from the field study conducted was used to intravenously inoculate a donor goat for cloning and subsequently used for drug sensitivity test. A set of fifteen susceptible goats for three different trypanocide dose regimens was studied over a period of three and half months to detect relapsed infection following the treatments. Homidium chloride, diminazene aceturate and isometamidium chloride were used for dosing goats infected with Trypanosoma vivax. Changes in the weekly mean body weight, packed cell volume, rectal temperature were recorded and analyzed using ANOVA. The results did not indicate any relapsed infection at all dose regimens used of Homidium chloride on Trypanosoma vivax. There was no change in the parameters that were studied. The Trypanosoma vivax isolate showed a relapsed infection after about two months post treatment with Diminazene aceturate (3.5mg/kgbwt) but not at the higher doses of 7.00mg and 10.5mg/kgbwt. Relapsed infection showed up earlier on animals treated with Isometamidium chloride. The use of trypanocides can at best supplement other approaches that include vector control and upgrading the efficacy of the available antitrypanosomal drugs.