USE OF MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES FOR DETECTING T-BRUCEI-BRUCEI INFECTION IN SPLENECTOMIZED DOGS

A monoclonal antibody against a plasma membrane antigen of Trypanosoma rhodesiense was used for the detection of T brucei group-specific cir culating antigen in 24 adult local dogs experimentally infected with T brucei brucei strain 8/18. Ten of the dogs were splenectomised and th e remainder non-splenectomised (intact). Five dogs each from the splen ectomised and intact groups were inoculated intravenously with trypano somes. The infected dogs developed trypanosomiasis between days 4 and 8 after infection. The circulating antigens were detected as early as six days after infection and remained high until two weeks after treat ment, when the circulating antigen declined. The detection of the anti gens showed the existence of infection unlike the antibody test. The t reatment of the infected dogs with diminazene aceturate (Berenil; Hoec hst) at a dose of 7.0 mg/kg on day 21 after infection cleared all the parasites but elevated the circulating antigen levels. The antigen cap ture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay is a useful diagnostic tool for complementing parasitological diagnosis, for detecting infection in t he held and for ascertaining the efficacy of trypanocidal drugs.