Genital lesions in male red fronted gazelles (Gazella rufifrons) experimentally infected with Trypanosoma brucei and the effect of melarsamine hydrochloride (Cymelarsan®) and diminazene aceturate (Berenil®) in its treatment

• Published in: Theriogenology Vol. 76; no. 4; pp. 721 - 728
• Main Authors: Mbaya, A.W, Nwosu, C.O, Kumshe, H.A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.09.2011; [Oxford]: Butterworth-Heinemann; [New York]: Elsevier Science
• Subjects: anemia; Animals; Antelopes - parasitology; Arsenicals - pharmacology; blood; body temperature; Body Temperature - physiology; diminazene; Diminazene - analogs & derivatives; Diminazene - pharmacology; Diminazene aceturate (Berenil®); emaciation; Gazella; gazelles; Genital Diseases, Male - drug therapy; Genital Diseases, Male - parasitology; Genital Diseases, Male - veterinary; Genital lesions; hematocrit; Hematocrit - veterinary; Histocytochemistry - veterinary; Male; Melarsamine hydrochloride (Cymelarsan®); mucosa; parasitemia; Parasitemia - drug therapy; Parasitemia - parasitology; Parasitemia - veterinary; parasites; Red fronted gazelles (Gazella rufifrons); relapse; Semen - parasitology; spermatozoa; testes; Trypanocidal Agents - pharmacology; Trypanosoma brucei; Trypanosoma brucei brucei - growth & development; trypanosomiasis; Trypanosomiasis, African - drug therapy; Trypanosomiasis, African - parasitology; Trypanosomiasis, African - veterinary; Trypanosomosis; Diminazene aceturate (Berenil®); Melarsamine hydrochloride (Cymelarsan®); Genital lesions; Red fronted gazelles (Gazella rufifrons); Trypanosomosis
• ISSN: 0093-691X; 1879-3231
• DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2011.04.004

Thirty red fronted gazelles (Gazella rufifrons) were used to assess the genital lesions associated with trypanosomosis and the efficacy of melarsamine hydrochloride (Cymelarsan®) and diminazene aceturate (Berenil®) in the treatment of the condition. The animals were divided into 6 equal groups (A-F). Animals in groups A-E were infected with Trypanosoma brucei, and later treated on day 8 post infection (p.i.) with either melarsamine hydrochloride (Cymelarsan®) at 0.3 mg/kg (Group A) and 0.6 mg/kg (Group B) or diminazene aceturate (Berenil®) at 3.5 mg/kg (Group C) and 7.0 mg/kg (Group D). Animals in group E remained untreated while group F served as healthy controls. Parasitaemia was established by day 8 p.i. in all infected groups and eliminated by day 16 following treatment on day 8 p.i. with melarsamine hydrochloride (Cymelarsan®) (Groups A and B) or diminazene aceturate (Berenil®) (Group D). On the other hand, diminazene aceturate treatment (Berenil®) on day 8 p.i. at 3.5 mg/kg (Group C) caused a temporary disappearance of parasites from the circulation by day 16 p.i. but there was a relapse parasitaemia on day 44 with a peak count of 500 ± 2.79 × 10³ parasites/μL of blood by day 52 p.i. In the infected/untreated group (E), parasitaemia fluctuated but attained the same peak as Group C by day 52 p.i. Increase in body temperatures (40.5 ± 3.16 - 42.8 ± 3.25 °C) occurred during the first wave of parasitaemia but declined to pre-infection values from day 28 p.i. in Groups A, B and D. In Groups C and E, there was a second wave of parasitaemia (P < 0.05) with peak counts of 42.4 ± 0.81 × 10³/μL and 41.8 ± 0.80 × 10³/μL respectively by day 52 p.i. A significant (P < 0.05) decline in packed cell volume was also noted by day 52 p.i. The major clinical signs observed in Groups C and E were pyrexia, inappetance, emaciation, anaemia, dullness, starry hair coat, pallor of buccal and ocular mucous membranes. Similarly, in Groups C and E, the testicles appeared oedematous and painful to touch with degenerative changes, morphological sperm abnormalities and oligospermia with 2.0% and 0% sperm reserves respectively. Sperm reserve was 100% in Groups A, B and D. It is therefore, concluded that trypanosomosis can cause serious infertility in male red fronted gazelles and that early treatments with melarsamine hydrochloride (Cymelarsan®) at 0.3 and 0.6 mg/kg body weight or diminazene aceturate (Berenil®) at 7.0 mg/kg body weight may prevent such effects.