Renal Integrity Probably Determines Tolerance to Infection with Trypanosoma congolense in Rats and Natural Hosts

Aim: The research was carried out to determine the role of renal function in susceptibility to anemia in rats infected with Trypanosoma congolense.

Study Design: The study utilized a total of twenty-four (24) male albino rats, divided into two groups of eight (8) albino rats as control group and 16 albino rats to serve as infected group, inoculated intraperitoneally with T. congolense (1×103 parasites).

Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out in the Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.

Methodology: The study involved determination of parasitaemia, post infection derangements in hematology and serum urea and creatinine levels of rats.

Results: T. congolense precipitated an acute, severe and fatal infection in rats characterized by, anemia, and renal dysfunction, leading to death. At the end of 2 weeks post infection (PI), anemia characterized by drop in the packed cell volume (PCV), was found to be significantly higher in rats infected with T. congolense, compared to the rats in the control group. The PCV of control rats fluctuated within normal range.

Serum biochemical changes included elevation in levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine. The anemia was severer in rats with higher increases in BUN and creatinine levels.

Conclusion: The study points to early development of renal pathology and subnormal erythropoietin production as some of the important factors behind dyserythropoiesis and crippling effect of anemia in T. congolense infections. Early renal pathology may be an important antigenic property that determines severity of anemia and tolerance in Trypanosoma congolense infections.