The clinical effect of experimental infection with Trypanosoma congolense on Dutch belted rabbits

The clinical effect of Trypanosoma congolense infection on Dutch belted (does) rabbits was investigated. Sixteen Dutch belted rabbits weighing between 1.6 and 1.8 kg were grouped into two groups of eight each. Animals were accessed for packed cell volume (PCV), total leucocyte count (TLC), rectal temperature (RT), heart rate (HR), and body weight (BW) before infection as well as 18, 25, and 58 days post inoculation (PI). The level of parasitaemia was estimated on a weekly basis and was graded by number of parasites/field. There was a significant difference (P < 0.05) in the mean PCV between treatment and control groups of the rabbits on all days PI. The other parameters were not significantly different between uninfected controls and treatment group although the rectal temperature fluctuated. The mean PCV of infected rabbits was 36.0 +/- 0.53%, 35.3 +/- 0.19%, and 28.0 +/- 0.89% at days 18, 25, and 58 PI, while for uninfected, the mean PCV was 40.8 +/- 0.11%, 41.8 +/- 0.19%, and 41.3 +/- 0.08% across the same time periods. Parasitaemia was detected at 6th day PI and remained high to the end of the study. The study suggests that the use of haematinics and anti-pyrexia treatments as part of disease management for rabbits would be useful.