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Veterinary parasitology2002; 110(3-4); 227-233; doi: 10.1016/s0304-4017(02)00304-7

Chemotherapy of surra in horses and mules with diminazene aceturate.

Abstract: During June-July 2000, an outbreak of surra occurred on an equine breeding farm in Khonkaen Province, Thailand. Forty-two percent of pregnant mares aborted or gave stillbirth and 40% (19/47) of horses and 10% (1/10) of mules died from surra. In August 2000 Trypanosoma evansi were detected in the remaining animals (28 horses and nine mules) on the farm by blood smear and/or the haematocrit centrifuge technique. All animals were treated with diminazene aceturate at 3.5 mg/kg body weight by intramuscular injection on days 0 and 41 of the study. Blood samples of eight randomly selected horses and mules were collected on days 0, 1 and once a week until day 56 and examined for T. evansi by various parasitological techniques. The sera were tested for antibodies against T. evansi using an indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).The results revealed that diminazene aceturate at 3.5 mg/kg appeared to be effective in the first treatment of horses and mules infected with T. evansi. Parasites were cleared from the peripheral blood of horses on days 1 and 7 and mules on days 1 and 14. Thereafter the number of positive animals increased. After the second treatment, 50% of horses and 25% of mules were still positive to surra 24 h after treatment demonstrating that diminazene had no protective effect. Mild to severe toxicity of diminazene was seen in the horses and mules after injection.
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Publication Date: 2002-12-17 PubMed ID: 12482651DOI: 10.1016/s0304-4017(02)00304-7Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Clinical Trial
  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research investigates the effect of the drug diminazene aceturate on treating surra, a deadly disease in horses and mules caused by the parasite Trypanosoma evansi, during an outbreak in Thailand. The results suggest initial effectiveness in clearing parasites but show that the drug does not prevent reinfection and can cause toxic side effects.

Research Context and Aim

  • This study was conducted in response to a significant outbreak of surra, a fatal parasitic disease, at an equine breeding farm in Khonkaen Province, Thailand in 2000. The disease led to severe losses, including abortions or stillbirths in 42% of pregnant mares and the death of 40% of the horses and 10% of mules.
  • The objective of the research was to evaluate the effectiveness of diminazene aceturate as a treatment for horses and mules infected with the causative parasite, Trypanosoma evansi.

Research Methodology

  • All remaining animals on the farm affected by the outbreak, comprising of 28 horses and nine mules, were treated with diminazene aceturate. The drug was given at a dose of 3.5 mg/kg body weight via intramuscular injections on days 0 and 41 of the study.
  • The researchers collected and analyzed blood samples from randomly selected animals on various days, including the day of the first treatment (day 0), the next day (day 1), and once a week until day 56 of the study.
  • The researchers utilized a range of parasitological techniques to examine T. evansi populations. They also employed an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to test for antibodies against T. evansi in the animals’ sera.

Research Findings

  • The results suggested that the first dose of diminazene aceturate cleared parasites from the peripheral blood of the horses on days 1 and 7 and mules on days 1 and 14.
  • After this initial success, the number of animals testing positive for the parasite increased again. This indicated the drug’s limited effectiveness as it failed to protect against reinfection.
  • Following the second administration of the drug, 50% of the horses and 25% of mules were found to be still infected with surra. This substantiated the drug’s lack of protective effect.
  • A notable detrimental finding was the observation of mild to severe toxicity in horses and mules post drug injection, indicating potential adverse side effects of diminazene aceturate treatment.

Cite This Article

APA
Tuntasuvan D, Jarabrum W, Viseshakul N, Mohkaew K, Borisutsuwan S, Theeraphan A, Kongkanjana N. (2002). Chemotherapy of surra in horses and mules with diminazene aceturate. Vet Parasitol, 110(3-4), 227-233. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0304-4017(02)00304-7

Publication

Veterinary parasitology
ISSN: 0304-4017
NlmUniqueID: 7602745
Country: Netherlands
Language: English
Volume: 110
Issue: 3-4
Pages: 227-233

Researcher Affiliations

Tuntasuvan, D
  • National Institute of Animal Health, Kasetklang, Bangkhen, Jatujak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand. tdarunee@hotmail.com
Jarabrum, W
    Viseshakul, N
      Mohkaew, K
        Borisutsuwan, S
          Theeraphan, A
            Kongkanjana, N

              MeSH Terms

              • Animals
              • Antibodies, Protozoan / blood
              • Creatine / blood
              • Diminazene / adverse effects
              • Diminazene / analogs & derivatives
              • Diminazene / therapeutic use
              • Equidae / parasitology
              • Female
              • Horse Diseases / drug therapy
              • Horse Diseases / parasitology
              • Horses / parasitology
              • Male
              • Pregnancy
              • Thailand
              • Trypanocidal Agents / adverse effects
              • Trypanocidal Agents / therapeutic use
              • Trypanosoma / immunology
              • Trypanosoma / isolation & purification
              • Trypanosomiasis / drug therapy
              • Trypanosomiasis / veterinary

              Citations

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