Sensitivity of Trypanosome Isolates From Pigs In Enugu North Senatorial Zone of Enugu State To Diminazene Aceturate And Isometamidium Chloride

The sensitivity of trypanosome isolates from naturally infected pigs in Enugu North Senatorial Zone was evaluated in mice at two dose levels each of diminazene aceturate (7 and 28 mg/kg body weight) and isometamidium chloride (0.25 and 2 mg/kg) using the infection and treatment methods. Multiple drug resistance was prevalent in the trypanosome isolates, as all 18 isolates (16 T. brucei and 2 T. congolense) tested were resistant to both diminazene aceturate (7 mg/kg b.w) and isometamidium chloride (0.25 mg/ kg b.w,), at the low dose levels tested. Sixteen of the isolates resisted the high dose levels of diminazene aceturate (28 mg/kg b.w), while six isolates were resistant to isometamidium chloride (2 mg/kg b.w). It was concluded that trypanosome isolates from pigs in the study area exhibited resistance to both diminazene aceturate and isometamidium chloride, the two most commonly used trypanocides in the area. This phenomenon constitutes serious threat to chemotherapeutic control of swine trypanosomosis in particular and animal trypanosomosis in general in Enugu North Senatorial Zone.