Defence reactions of Glossina morsitans morsitans against different species of bacteria and Trypanosoma brucei brucei.

Tsetse flies, Glossina morsitans morsitans, fed on rats infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei showed wide fluctuations in total and differential haemocyte counts. Similar fluctuations occurred in controls fed on non-infected rats and also between the two groups without showing any difference which could be attributed to the infection. Trypanosome infection of the tsetse haemocoel occurred in 16.25% of the flies, starting from the second day after feeding on the infected rats, but salivary glands and proboscis became infected only after the eleventh day. About 2% of bloodstream forms of T. b. brucei injected into tsetse haemocoels completed their developmental cycle successfully. Injection of tsetse homogenates into teneral G. m. morsitans prior to exposure to trypanosome-infected feed increased T. b. brucei infections in the flies significantly. Injection of live Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus into tsetse induced a remarkable increase in two pre-existing haemolymph proteins with molecular weights of about 70 and 17 kilodaltons, while live Bacillus subtilis and Micrococcus luteus induced a very weak response or sometimes none at all. T. b. brucei also failed to induce any increase in these proteins. Inoculation of G. m. morsitans with live E. coli und T. b. brucei prior to feeding on trypanosome-infected rats had no effect on the salivary gland and proboscis infection rates by T. b. brucei. Injection of live T. b. brucei into the haemocoels of tsetse caused no change in total haemocyte counts, but the trypanosomes disappeared from the haemolymph so rapidly that by 48 h post-injection, only about 1% were left.

A comparison of parameters used to assess liver damage in sheep treated with carbon tetrachloride.

Changes in serum enzyme levels, liver histology and liver function tests have been correlated to determine the usefulness of these tests in assessing liver status. The effects of carbon tetrachloride administration on these parameters has been determined in a group of 20 sheep. Normal levels, elevated levels after injury and the effect of elapsed time after injury are reported for serum glutamic dehydrogenase, sorbitol dehydrogenase, glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase, fructose-1-phosphate adlolase, alkaline phosphatase, cholesterol and proteins. Variation in the time of elevation of enzyme activities may be useful in determining the elapsed time between acute injury and serum sampling. In comparison to sheep fed an adequate diet, a diet with a restricted protein intake was associated with increased severity of histological lesions and decreased liver function.