Annual report of the Veterinary Department, Sudan Government.

  • Sudan. Veterinary Department.
Date:
[1929]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report of the Veterinary Department, Sudan Government. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    35/46 (page 31)
    II. Notes on Specimens Examined. (i) TRYPANOSOMIASIS. Although camels have, as in earlier years, provided the bulk of positive diagnoses the actual number of cases continues to decrease. This is due to the universal use of the formol-gel test by Veterinar}7 Inspectors ; practically all the positive diagnoses have been made in material submitted from other sources or in the Khartoum laboratory which examines all local material. The use of the formol-gel test for diagnosis will be further mentioned when considering the control of camel trypanosomiasis. Both cases of equine trypanosomiasis, one of T. brucei and the-other of T. congolense were from the Nuba Mountains where tse-tse fly and these two species of trypanosomes have been known to exist for several years. The most interesting specimen was that of T. soudanense in a donkey, as this diagnosis helps to fill a gap that has hitherto existed in this country. It is known that in India and in regions of Northern Africa trypanosomes of the T. evansi type are commonly found in equidae, but in this country in spite of the widespread distribution of T. soudanense and the close association of horses, mules and donkeys with camels no natural infection with this trypanosome has previously been recorded in any animal other than the camel. Certain small scale laboratory experiments had been carried out in this connection before this case was diagnosed but the work has not yet arrived at a stage that would make a report profitable. There is little of interest in the cases of cattle trypanosomiasis. One case of mixed T. congolense and T. vivax and one pure T. congolense infection were diagnosed at Kosti in Selim cattle, one mixed infection of these two trypanosomes from Yirrol, one mixed and one pure T. congolense from Kassala and one T. congolense infection in the Khartoum quarantine in a beast from El Obeid. (ii) PIROPLASMOSIS. As in earlier years the diagnoses of equine piroplasmosis have been few, the probable reason being the existence of an almost universal immunity tolerance in indigenous animals and those which have been in the country for some time, an observation that might be equally applicable to cattle and dogs, although in the case of the last named it is remarkable that few diagnoses are established in the acute stages among imported dogs under close observation in Khartoum. There have been four interesting cases of piroplasmosis during the year :— (a) A large parasite of the Babesia type in a giraffe which had died in the Khartoum zoological gardens. Onl}7 one parasite was seen but it was very well stained and had the typical colouring of a piroplasm, being large and somewhat ovoid rather than pear shaped. Although no more material could be examined for confirmation there was no hesitation in diagnosing the body as some form of parasite, probably a Babesia. (b) , (c) Parasites similar to those seen in the giraffe, but in two Roan Antelope at the zoological gardens. A few parasites were seen in blood smears from the two individuals, which were suffering from some undiagnosed febrile condition. They were treated with trypanblue but died. Unfortunately these two cases occurred during one of my absences from Khartoum and no material was collected for further study. In any case, it does not seen probable that in any of the foregoing instances the piroplasms were of pathological significance ; it is, however, unfortunate that a more thorough study was not carried out.