ABSTRACT
The aim of the present study was to determine the paramphistomicidal efficacy of methyl [5-chloro-6-(1-naphthyloxy)-1H-benzimidazol-2-yl]carbamate (alpha-carbamate) in experimentally infected sheep. Sixteen crossbred rams were infected each with 600 metacercariae of Calicophoron calicophorum. Forty five days after infection, they were divided into four groups of four animals each. Groups 1 to 3 received compound alpha-carbamate at a dose of 12, 18, and 24 mg/kg b/w, respectively; group 4 serving as the nontreated control. Ten days after treatment, all animals were killed to obtain the rumen and collect, measure, and quantify the trematodes present. Efficacy was assessed as the percentage of trematode reduction of the treated groups relative to the nontreated control. The obtained efficacy indicated a percentage reduction of 86.7%, 97.5%, and 100% for groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. This experimental compound showed high efficacy against 45-day-old C. calicophorum in experimentally infected sheep.
Subject(s)
Anthelmintics , Benzimidazoles/chemistry , Naphthalenes , Sheep Diseases/drug therapy , Trematoda/drug effects , Trematode Infections/veterinary , Animals , Anthelmintics/chemical synthesis , Anthelmintics/chemistry , Anthelmintics/pharmacology , Anthelmintics/therapeutic use , Benzimidazoles/chemical synthesis , Benzimidazoles/pharmacology , Benzimidazoles/therapeutic use , Naphthalenes/chemical synthesis , Naphthalenes/chemistry , Naphthalenes/pharmacology , Naphthalenes/therapeutic use , Rumen/parasitology , Sheep , Sheep Diseases/parasitology , Trematode Infections/drug therapy , Trematode Infections/parasitologyABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to characterize the immune response of Babesia bigemina-infected cows during the second trimester of pregnancy. Twelve animals were divided into four groups (I, II, III, IV); groups I and II were pregnant cows, groups III and IV were non-pregnant cows. Groups I and III were infected with a virulent strain of Babesia bigemina, the doses utilized was 1 x 10(7) infected red blood cells IM. Groups II and IV were noninfected control groups. All the infected animals were severely affected; at days 5-7 post-inoculation (DPI) they showed clinical signs: fever (40-41.5 degrees C), packed cell volume reduction, and parasitemia, and specific treatment was required. The immune response was monitored daily from 0-11 DPI. As shown by flow cytometry analysis, in infected animals the distribution in peripheral blood of the T-cells subpopulations (CD4+, CD8+, gammadelta T-cells) was not affected when compared to the control groups. By ELISA, IFN-gamma production showed a trend to increase in plasma between 6-10 DPI; noninfected cows showed the lowest optical density values. By RT-PCR, a Th1 predominant response was observed, TNFalpha, INF-gamma and iNOs were detected. In contrast IL-4 and IL-10 were weak or undetected. The results of this trial will be discussed.
Subject(s)
Babesia/immunology , Babesia/pathogenicity , Babesiosis/immunology , Babesiosis/veterinary , Cattle Diseases/immunology , Cytokines/immunology , Animals , Antibody Formation , Cattle , Cytokines/analysis , Cytokines/biosynthesis , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Female , Inflammation , Interferon-gamma/analysis , Pregnancy , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain ReactionABSTRACT
Babesiosis is a tick-borne disease of cattle caused by Babesia bigemina and Babesia bovis and is transmitted by the tick vector Boophilus microplus. In this study, we investigate B. bigemina infection regarding the clinical infection, T cell distribution, and cytokine profile during the acute phase of an experimental infection in pregnant cows.
