Experimental infection of goats with Trypanosoma brucei ssp. and effects of treatment with suramin and Mel-B

Abstract

A stock of Trypanosoma brucei ssp. isolated from a naturally-infected goat in the Lambwe Valley, Kenya, induced cerebral trypanosomiasis in experimentally-infected goats. Six of nine goats with cerebral trypanosomiasis induced by this stock were cured by a single high dose ofsuramin (50 mg kg⁻¹). Two other goats appeared to be cured with this dosage of suramin but later developed abnormal central nervous system (CNS) signs and parasitaemia. Parasites first appeared in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and then in the blood and lymph nodes. Mel-B was also effective against primary and relapse cerebral trypanosomiasis in goats.