Trypanocidal sensitivity studies were conducted to assess the efficacy of
Diminazene diaceturate (Diminasan) and Bis (aminoethylthio) 4-melaminophenylarsine dihydrochloride (
Cymelarsan) against Trypanosoma equiperdum (isolated from two mares with chronic cases of
dourine) 713/943 and 834/940 Dodola strains in experimentally infected mice and horses. Diminasan at doses from 3.5 mg/kg to 28 mg/kg and
Cymelarsan at doses of 0.25 mg/kg and 0.5 mg/kg
body weight failed to cure any of the mice, indicating a clear dose dependent relationship in the mean time of relapse observed in mice. Indeed, mice treated with lower doses relapsed after a shorter time than mice treated with higher doses. However, mice treated with
Cymelarsan at doses of 1.0 mg/kg and 2.0 mg/kg
body weight were cured and no
parasitemia was observed for 60 days. The efficacy of
Cymelarsan was also tested in horses. Two groups of horses containing two animals each were infected with T. equiperdum 834/940 Dodola strain and treated with
Cymelarsan at a dose rate of 0.25 mg/kg and 0.5 mg/kg, respectively.
Cymelarsan at 0.25 mg/kg and 0.5 mg/kg
body weight cleared
parasitemia within 24 h post treatment and none of the animals were found to show relapse throughout the 320 days of observation. The sensitivity of the particular trypanosome strain to
Cymelarsan was also supported by the relative improvement in the mean PCV levels of horses following treatment. A statistically significant difference (p<0.01) in the mean PCV levels of horses treated with
Cymelarsan was observed between day 20 at peak
parasitemia and days 40 as well as 60 of observation. The mean PCV levels of horses in the control group progressively decreased within the first 60 days of post
infection. Two of the horses in the control group developed chronic form of
dourine manifested by genital as well as nervous signs with progressive loss of body condition within 320 days post
infection. The efficacy of
Cymelarsan against the chronic form of
dourine was confirmed
after treatment of one of the control horses with
Cymelarsan at a dose rate of 0.25 mg/kg
body weight at day 282 post
infection. It was noted that the treated horse improved overall body condition and clinical signs such as
incoordination of hind legs, weakness and ventral oedema disappeared within 10 days of treatment. Thus,
Cymelarsan was found to be quite effective in curing horses in acute as well as chronic form of
dourine. The results obtained from the present study will be important for designing effective control measures against
dourine.