Diminazene aceturate associated with sodium selenite and vitamin E in the treatment of Trypanosoma evansi infection in rats.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the utilization of a standard treatment with diminazene aceturate against the infection caused by Trypanosoma evansi, associated to sodium selenite and vitamin E. In vitro tests showed trypanocidal effect related to the treatment with diminazene aceturate and sodium selenite, but vitamin E had no harmful effect on the trypanosomes. In vivo experiments utilized a total of 72 adult outbreed females rats, separated into 9 groups (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H and I), 8 animals each. Group A was the uninfected group; groups B to I were infected with 0.2mL of blood containing 10(6) trypanosomes. Parasitemia was estimated daily by microscopic examination of blood smears. Group B served as positive control; group C was treated with diminazene aceturate; group D with sodium selenite; group E with vitamin E; group F received an association of diminazene aceturate and sodium selenite; group G received an association of diminazene aceturate and vitamin E; group H received an association of diminazene aceturate, sodium selenite and vitamin E, and group I received an association of sodium selenite and vitamin E. Diminazene aceturate was administrated in a single dose on the 3rd day post infection (PI). Sodium selenite and vitamin E were administered at the 3rd and 23rd day PI. In vivo tests showed increase of longevity in groups treated with diminazene aceturate associated with sodium selenite (groups F and H). No difference was found between groups C and E, thus the vitamin E did not increase the efficacy of treatment against T. evansi when associated to diminazene aceturate. The curative efficacy of treatments was 37.5, 87.7, 37.7 and 75% to the groups C, F, G and H, respectively. Other treatments showed no efficacy. The sodium selenite when combined with chemotherapy may represent an alternative in the treatment of trypanosomosis.

Susceptibility of mice to Trypanosoma evansi treated with human plasma containing different concentrations of apolipoprotein L-1.

The aim of this study was to test the susceptibility of mice to Trypanosoma evansi treated with human plasma containing different concentrations of apolipoprotein L-1 (APOL1). For this experiment, a strain of T. evansi and human plasma (plasmas 1, 2, and 3) from 3 adult males clinically healthy were used. In vivo test used 50 mice divided in 5 groups (A to E) with 10 animals in each group. Animals of groups B to E were infected, and then treated with 0.2 ml of human plasma in the following outline: negative control (A), positive control (B), treatment with plasma 1 (C), treatment with plasma 2 (D), and treatment with plasma 3 (E). Mice treated with human plasma showed an increase in longevity of 40.9 ± 0.3 (C), 20 ± 9.0 (D) and 35.6 ± 9.3 (E) days compared to the control group (B) which was 4.3 ± 0.5 days. The number of surviving mice and free of the parasite (blood smear and PCR negative) at the end of the experiment was 90%, 0%, and 60% for groups C, D, and E, respectively. The quantification of APOL1 was performed due to the large difference in the treatments that differed in the source plasma. In plasmas 1, 2, and 3 was detected the concentration of 194, 99, and 115 mg/dl of APOL1, respectively. However, we believe that this difference in the treatment efficiency is related to the level of APOL1 in plasmas.

Biochemical changes in cats infected with Trypanosoma evansi.

This study aimed at evaluating biochemical changes of cats (Felis catus) experimentally infected with Trypanosoma evansi. Seven animals were infected with 10(8) blood trypomastigotes per animal and six were used as controls. Blood smears were performed daily for 56 days and the hepatic, renal and muscular parameters in blood serum were evaluated at days 0, 7, 21, 35 and 49. The protozoan was found in the bloodstream 24-48 h post-inoculation (PI) and irregular peaks of parasitemia were observed throughout the experiment. Muscular enzymatic activities (aspartate aminotransferase and creatine kinase) were increased in infected cats compared to controls. Increased concentrations of total proteins and globulins and decreased levels of albumin and albumin/globulin ratio were observed in infected group versus the controls values (P<0.05). No alteration in serum activity of alanine aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyltransferase, creatinine and urea was observed in both groups.

[Infestation by Ornithocoris sp. at dwellings in the Municipality of Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil]. / Infestação por Ornithocoris sp. em residências do Município deSanta Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.

Ornithocoris is a Hemiptera of the family Cimicidae that parasitizes wild and domestic birds. We considered opportune to report two isolate cases of parasitism by Ornithocoris sp. at dwellings in the municipality of Santa Maria, RS. In both cases, the residents reported the presence of insects at the night, besides intense prurid and red spots, typical of insect bites. All residents were affected, besides a dog. A great quantity of Ornithocors sp. specimens was seen on the walls, bed and leg of a child, while sleeping. Both cases occurred in the spring season when bird nests were seen near houses. It suggests that this blood sucking insect fed on humans in the absence of birds, their natural hosts.