Aggravation of pathogenesis mediated by ochratoxin A in mice infected with Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense.

Mice fed 1.5 mg ochratoxin A (OTA) per kg body weight and infected with Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense were compared with trypanosome-infected placebo-fed and uninfected OTA-fed controls. Uninfected OTA-fed mice showed fever, lethargy, facial and eyelid oedemas, mild hepatitis and nephritis, and high survival. Infected placebo-fed controls had mean pre-patent period (PPP) of 3.26 days, lethargy, dyspnoea, fever, facial and scrotal oedema, survival of 33-65 days, reduced red cell counts (RCC: 10.96-6.87x106 cells/microl of blood), packed cell volume (PCV: 43.19-26.36%), haemoglobin levels (Hb: 13.37-7.92 g/dL) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) of 37.96-41.31 fL, hepatosplenomegaly, generalized oedemas, heart congestion, hepatitis and nephritis. Compared to infected placebo-fed controls, infected OTA-fed mice had significantly (P<0.05) shorter mean PPP (2.58 days), reduced survival (6-47 days), more pronounced fever and dyspnoea. The latter had significantly (P<0.05) reduced RCC (10.74-4.56x106 cells/microl of blood), PCV (43.90-20.78%), Hb (13.06-5.74 g/dL), increased MCV (39.10-43.97 fL), severe generalized oedemas, haemorrhages, congestion, hepatic haemosiderosis, hepatitis, nephritis, endocarditis, pericarditis and exclusively, splenic macrophage and giant cell hyperplasia, expanded red pulp and splenic erythrophagocytosis. It was concluded that OTA aggravated the pathogenesis of T. b. rhodesiense infection in mice, and should therefore be taken into consideration during trypanosomosis control programmes.

Different types of tea products attenuate inflammation induced in Trypanosoma brucei infected mice.

An in vivo study was carried out to determine the effect of different types of Kenyan tea extracts on male Swiss albino mice infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei isolate KETRI 2710. The isolate produced a similar clinical picture after a pre-patent period of 5 days post-infection (DPI). Parasitemia levels in the untreated mice and those given different teas developed exponentially at similar rates reaching similar densities at the peak of parasitemia 8 DPI. Between 9 and 13 DPI parasitemia decreased more rapidly in tea treated compared to the untreated mice which indicated that tea lowered parasitemia level. Anaemia indicated by a fall in erythrocyte packed cell volume (PCV) occurred within 4 DPI and remained below the normal levels until the terminal stages of the disease. A significant difference (P<0.05) was observed 11 DPI between the tea treated and the untreated mice indicating that tea enhanced resistance to erythrocyte destruction. Mice treated with tea exhibited significantly (P<0.01) reduced parasite-induced hypoalbuminemia as compared to the untreated. Since albumin is a negative acute phase protein, it shows a decrease during inflammatory conditions and therefore its elevation in the mice given tea in this study clearly demonstrated that tea ameliorated inflammation induced by T. b. brucei. Although green and white teas were superior in most of these characteristics, black tea, which is the principle tea product from Kenya, displayed remarkable properties some even comparable to those of green tea. Interestingly, tea was more efficacious than dexamethasone an established anti-inflammatory drug, demonstrating its therapeutic potential.

Efficacy of Myrsine africana, Albizia anthelmintica and Hilderbrantia sepalosa herbal remedies against mixed natural sheep helminthosis in Samburu district, Kenya.

Traditional livestock healers from Samburu and Turkana communities in Samburu District of Kenya were identified and recruited for participation in this study. Sheep with mixed gastrointestinal helminthosis were purchased from nomadic livestock owners in the area. Three herbal anthelmintic remedies, viz. Myrsine africana, Albizia anthelmintica and Hilderbrantia sepalosa were administered in the traditional way by the healers and their efficacy determined using percent fecal egg count reduction (percent FECR) test. The results indicate that all the herbal remedies had some efficacy against both nematodes and Monezia species of helminths. The group effect against nematodes was significantly different (P=0.002). Compared to an untreated control group, the efficacy against nematodes was 77, 89.8 and 90% for Myrsine afriacana, Albizia antihelmintica and Hilderbrantia sepalosa, respectively, while albendazole had 100% efficacy. The main nematodes encountered included Haemonchus spp., Trichostrogylus spp. and Oesophagostomum spp. With regard to Monezia species herbal remedies performed better than albendazole with an efficacy of 100% compared to 63% for albendazole. The group of sheep treated with Albizia anthelmintica showed a significant increase (P=0.003) in packed cell volume (PCV).