Abstract

This study determined haematological changes in Wistar rats experimentally infected with local strains of Trypanosoma congolense and Trypanosoma brucei brucei. Forty-five Wistar rats between 10 – 12 weeks old weighing between 210 – 240 g were used. The Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups (A, B, C and D), with the infected groups (B, C and D) having 10 rats each, while the uninfected control group (A) had 15 rats. Group A rats were not infected and served as the control, group B were infected with Trypanosoma congolense, group C were infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei and group D were co-infected with Trypanosoma congolense and Trypanosoma brucei brucei. Infection was achieved using 0.1mL of blood containing approximately 1 × 103 trypanosomes intraperitoneally into each Wistar rat in the infected groups. Clinical signs were observed. The changes in the blood cells were assayed in the groups post-infection. Duncan’s Least Square Deviation showed significantly (p

Key words: Experimental infection, Haematology, Wistar rats, Trypanosoma brucei brucei, Trypanosoma congolense