RESUMO
Aim: The effects of infection with Trypanosoma brucei on renal and hepatic functions in early phase of disease were studied in experimentally infected pigs. The aim of this study was to identify serum biochemical changes that could serve as biomarkers of early renal and hepatic dysfunctions and also serve as basis for therapeutic management of T. brucei infections in man and animals. Study Design: A total of 15 growing pigs aged between 6 and 12 months old were used for the study. The pigs were selected at random into two groups. Group one was made up of seven animals and served as the infected group. The pigs were each infected with 1 x 106 parasites in 2mls of normal saline subcutaneously. The second group, made up of six animals, served as the un-infected control group. Place and Duration of Study: The pigs were housed in insect proof pens for two months while the experiment lasted. Methodology: Blood for serum obtained through venipuncture of the anterior venacava was used for determination of the serum total proteins, albumin, creatinine and urea concentrations as well as activities of alanine and aspartate aminotransferase post infection. Results: After infection there was a sharp increase in Total proteins (P = .05) accompanied by decrease in albumin but increase in globulin concentrations on Day 5. Increases in, serum creatinine and Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) concentrations and, activities of Alanine and Aspartate aminotransferases also occurred from this day. Conclusion: It was concluded that decrease in serum albumin concentration alongside increase in creatinine and urea levels as well as those of alanine and aspartate aminotransferase activities may be biomarkers of early onset of renal and hepatic pathology and determinants of ability to achieve self-cure from anemia in T. brucei infections of man and animals. This underscores the relevance of erythropoietin use in chemotherapy of African trypanosomiasis and the roles of renal and hepatic integrity in trypanotolerace.
RESUMO
This study was carried out to record the morphometric parameters of the brain of male and female grasscutters. Ten healthy grasscutters (5 males and 5 females) were used in this study. The mean brain weights were 9.80 + 0.50 g and 10.27 + 0.45 g for males and females respectively. The olfactory bulb mean weight was 0.57 + 0.05 g for males and 0.43 + 0.10 g for females. The cerebral and cerebellar mean lengths of 3.14 + 0.04 cm and 1.34 + 0.04 cm for males, 6.26 + 0.10 cm and 3.80 + 0.32 cm for females were observed. The cerebrum, cerebellum and olfactory bulb account for 70%, 12% and 6% of the total brain weight in males and 64%, 13% and 4% in the females respectively. The mean brain lengths were 5.63 + 0.07 cm and 6.26 + 0.1 cm for males and females respectively. There were significant differences in the body and olfactory bulb weights and also, in the whole brain and cerebral lengths between the males and females. In our present research, the ratios of 0.01 for males and 0.006 for females were observed. This suggests a relatively low brain weight in the ruminants. The olfactory bulb in the male is larger than that in the females. Females in turn have longer brain dimension than the males. Cerebellum has no sex variation both in weight and in length.
Este estudio se llevó a cabo para registrar los parámetros morfométricos del cerebro de grasscutters machos y hembras. Diez grasscutters sanos (5 machos y 5 hembras) fueron utilizados en este estudio. La media de peso del cerebro fueron 9,80 +/- 0,50 g y 10,27 +/- 0,45 g para los machos y hembras respectivamente. El peso medio del bulbo olfatorio fue 0,57 +/- 0,05 g para los machos y 0,43 +/- 0,10 g para las hembras. La longitud media del cerebro y del cerebelo fue de 3,14 +/- 0,04 y 1,34 cm +/- 0,04 cm para los machos, y 6,26 +/- 0,10 cm y 3,80 +/- 0,32 cm para las hembras, en las muestras observadas. El cerebro, cerebelo y el bulbo olfatorio representaron un 70%, 12% y el 6% del peso total del cerebro en machos y 64%, 13% y 4% en las hembras, respectivamente. La media de las longitudes del cerebro fueron 5,63 +/- 0,0 y 6,26 cm +/- 0,1 cm para los machos y hembras respectivamente. Hubo diferencias significativas en el peso del cuerpo y el bulbo olfatorio, y también en la longitud total del cerebro de machos y hembras. En nuestra actual investigación, los índices de 0,01 para los machos y de 0,006 para las hembras fueron observados. Esto sugiere un peso relativamente bajo en el cerebro de rumiantes. El bulbo olfatorio en los machos es mayor que en las hembras. A su vez, las hembras presentan una dimensión cerebral mayor que los machos. El cerebelo no tuvo variación según el sexo tanto en peso como en longitud.