Haematological, Pathological And Plasma Biochemical Changes In Rabbits Experimentally Infected With Trypanosoma congolense

Abstract

Chinchilla x New Zealand white cross breed rabbits (N=24) were challenged with strain of T. congolense. The infections were characterized by intermittent pyrexia, undulating parasitaemia, anorexia and emaciation. The major haematological changes observed were anaemia that was macrocytic normochromic at the first week of the infection and later became normochromic normocytic till the end of the experiment and leucopaenia that is characterized by neutropaenia, eosinopaenia and lymphocytosis. Plasma biochemical changes include hypoglycaemia, elevated total protein and plasma cholesterol. There were significant (p