THE IMMUNOMODULATORY EFFECT OF LEVAMISOLE WITH THE USE OF AMITRAZ IN DOGS WITH UNCOMPLICATED GENERALIZED DEMODICOSIS

The immunomodulatory effect of levamisole (Decaris tbl.) in the course of acaricide therapy with amitraz (Taktic) on the functional activity of blood neutrophils (% of phagocytizing cells and ingestion capacity ) and lymphocytes (blastogenic response to Con A) in dogs with uncompl icated generalized demodicosis (NGD) was studied. The level of examine d parameters was evaluated before treatment, week 3 and 7 after the fi rst application of these preparations; and compared with the values of NGD dogs treated only with amitraz and with those in clinically healt hy dogs. In comparison with healthy dogs the initial level of examined activities of both cell populations was significantly depresed. A sig nificantly earlier (4 weeks earlier) increase (when compared with valu es before treatment) of investigated activities of neutrophils and lym phocytes occurred in dogs treated with amitraz and levamisole in compa rison with those in dogs treated only with amitraz. It was manifested especially significantly in phagocytosis, the ingestion capacity of ne utrophils at this time of therapy has reached the level of those in he althy dogs. Functional activity of lymphocytes in both groups of NGD d ogs has not reached a comparable value with that in healthy dogs eithe r at the end of observation. The presented results indicate that signi ficantly earlier improvement of functional activity of phagocytes and lymphocytes in demodectic dogs treated with amitraz and levamisole was connected with the immunorestorative effect of levamisole.