Pathogenicity of Trypanosoma brucei in African giant rats (Cricetomys gambianus, Water House)

Abstract

The course of trypanosomosis was investigated over a period of two weeks in six African giant rats (Cricetomys gambianus) experimentally infected with Trypanosoma brucei. Six other rats served as uninfected control. The rats were each infected intraperitoneally with 0.2mls of blood containing approximately 2.0x105 T. brucei parasites. The prepatent period varied between 3 and 8 days post infection. The course of the disease was acute (6-8 days post infection). The mean rectal temperature of the infected group was not significantly different (P>0.05) from the control group, while the mean values of packed cell volume of the infected rats declined significantly (P<0.05) compared to the pre-infection and control values. The findings in this study are suggestive of susceptibility of the African giant rats to T. brucei.

Key Words: Trypanosoma brucei; giant rat pathogenicity; aracmia

Nigerian Veterinary Journal Vol.25(1) 2004: 39-44