THE EFFECTS OF Trypanosoma congolense INFECTION ON PARASITAEMIC LEVELS, WEIGHT CHANGES, FOOD AND WATER CONSUMPTION IN EXPERIMENTAL RATS

Ohaeri, C. C.

Department of Biological Sciences

Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria

e-mail: ohaeric2000@yahoo.co.uk

ABSTRACT

Albino rats (Wister strain) were infected with a Trypanosome congolense as a model to study the effect of trypanosomiasis on parasitaemic levels, weight changes, food and water intake. Rat infection revealed development of parasitaemia within 7 days of intraperitonial inoculation and irregular fluctuations of parasitaemic levels with maximum parasitaemia attained on day 16 post infection. There was also growth retardation in infected rats associated with decreased food and water consumption when compared with uninfected rats (P<0.05). The degree of growth retardation experienced by trypanosome infected animals is influence by energy intake. These findings provide strong evidence that infection with Trypanosoma congolense is associated with lack of appetite and muscular degeneration.

Keywords: Trypanosoma congolense, weight changes, food intake, rats.