The interaction between animal nutrition and parasites: Studies with experimental trypanosomiasis in sheep.
1996
Katunguka Rwakishaya E.
The present study investigated the role played by improved nutrition in the development of pathophysiological effects of trypanosomiasis in sheep given two levels of protein intake. It was observed that feed intake was not influenced by either the diet or infection. The intensities of parasitaemia as measured by the buffy coat method indicated that there was a tendency for the animals receiving the high protein diet to sustain more parasite numbers than those receiving the low protein diet. The infected animals on a high protein diet gained weight at the same rates as the uninfected controls. However, infected animals on low protein diet showed marked retardation of growth compared to the uninfected controls. Both groups of infected animals exhibited similar degrees of anaemia but following treatment, those on the high protein diet recovered much faster than those on the low protein diet. It was concluded that improved nutrition in form of higher protein intakes ameliorates the adverse effects of trypanosomiasis and also enhances the rates of recovery following chemotherapy.
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