Disturbance of oxidant/antioxidant equilibrium in horses naturally infected with Trypanosoma evansi.

The research focuses on understanding the impact of Trypanosoma evansi infection, known as surra, on the oxidant/antioxidant balance in naturally infected horses and the changes that occur in this balance before and after treatment.

Research Objectives and Methodology

• The research aims to study the disturbance in the equilibrium of oxidant/antioxidant elements in horses naturally infected with Trypanosoma evansi, a blood parasite causing surra disease.
• The investigation looked at parameters such as erythrocytic indices, platelet counts, lipid peroxides (LPO), nitric oxide (NO), reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) in 15 infected horses in comparison with six healthy animals as the control group.
• All the infected horses were treated with Quinapyramine sulphate and closely monitored, with samples collected every seven days for 21 days.

Findings

• The study found a significant reduction in red blood cell count, haemoglobin, packed cell volume, and platelet levels in infected horses. The mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration of infected horses was also noticed to reduce.
• There was a significant increase in nitric oxide and lipid peroxides, indicating a rise in oxidative stress indicators in infected horses.
• Similarly, a significant decrease in reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and catalase was found, showing a reduction in the horses’ antioxidant defenses.
• The correlation analysis established a negative association between red blood cell count and lipid peroxides and nitrate levels. On the other hand, a positive correlation was seen between the red blood cell count and antioxidants like reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and catalase.
• Following treatment, there was a significant improvement in the haematological parameters. However, the parameters indicating oxidative stress didn’t show any statistically significant change.
• Nine out of fifteen infected horses recovered completely from the infection without any side effects from the treatment.

Conclusion

• The research concludes that Trypanosoma evansi infection in horses leads to a perturbation in oxidant/antioxidant balance in the body, causing increased oxidative stress.
• While haematological health improved with therapy, the antioxidant defenses were not significantly restored, suggesting the potential necessity of supplementing antioxidants in the therapeutic regimen.