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Efficacy of diminazene diaceturate and isometamidium chloride hydrochloride for the treatment of Trypanosoma evansi in mice model

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Abstract

Diminazene diaceturate (DIM) and isometamidium chloride hydrochloride (ISMM) have been widely used for the treatment of animal trypanosomosis. We evaluated the efficacy of standard doses of DIM and ISMM followed by their double doses for the treatment of Trypanosoma evansi in experimentally infected mice. A T. evansi strain obtained from a naturally infected camel in Afar was used. 25 swiss white mice randomly divided in to five groups were inoculated with 0.2 mL of blood containing 103 trypanosomes. At the peak of parasitemia (≈ 2 weeks post infection), groups A and B were treated with the standard dose (3.5 mg/kg body weight [BWT]) of DIM; groups C and D were treated with the standard dose (0.5 mg/kg BWT) of ISMM; and group E served as infected control. In the DIM standard dose groups, relapses and peak parasitemia were observed 20- and 25-days post treatment respectively. Similarly, relapses and peak parasitemia were observed 21- and 27-days post treatment in the ISMM standard dose groups. All mice in the control group died within two weeks post infection. Following relapses, mice were treated with the double doses of DIM (7 mg/kg BWT) or ISMM (1 mg/kg BWT). Parasitemia was not detected for 3 months following the double dose treatments. Following dexamethasone administration for 7 days, all but one mouse in the DIM group remained negative for another month. In general, although the T. evansi strain was resistant to the standard doses of DIM and ISMM their double doses completely cleared the infection.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR). We thank the Addis Ababa University, College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture for allowing us to conduct the experiment in the molecular parasitology laboratory of the Belgian- Ethiopian VLIR–UOS funded collaborative project. The field and laboratory assistance we have received from the project staff, Mr. Alemu Tola is highly appreciated. Mention of trade names or commercial products in this publication by USDA author (GEA) is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Werer Agricultural Research Center, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, P.O. Box 2003, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Weldegebrial G. Aregawi, Fikadu Gutema, Juhar Tesfaye, Abel Sorsa, Brehanu Megersa & Philimon Teshome

  2. Mekhoni Agricultural Research Center, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, P.O. Box 47, Tigray, Mekhoni, Ethiopia

    Weldegebrial G. Aregawi

  3. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Food Animal Environmental Systems Research Unit, Bowling Green, KY, USA

    Getahun E. Agga

  4. College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 34, Bishoftu, Ethiopia

    Hagos Ashenafi

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  1. Weldegebrial G. Aregawi
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Correspondence to Weldegebrial G. Aregawi.

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Ethical approval

Blood sample collection from camel was approval by the Ethics and Animal Welfare Committee of Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Protocol Number 04/2018. The protocol of experimental study in mice was reviewed and approved by Research Ethics Review Committee (RERC) of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture of the Addis Ababa University (Ref. No. VM/ERC/03/04/12/2018).

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Aregawi, W.G., Gutema, F., Tesfaye, J. et al. Efficacy of diminazene diaceturate and isometamidium chloride hydrochloride for the treatment of Trypanosoma evansi in mice model. J Parasit Dis 45, 131–136 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12639-020-01289-3

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