CHEMOTHERAPY OF PARATUBERCULOSIS IN GOATS - STREPTOMYCIN, RIFAMPICIN AND LEVAMISOLE VERSUS STREPTOMYCIN, RIFAMPICIN AND DAPSONE

Two combinations of streptomycin, rifampicin and levamisole hydrochlor ide, and streptomycin, rifampicin and dapsone were selected for the tr eatment of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis-infected goats. Efficacy of the treatment was based on gain in body weight, haemoglobin, haematocr it, blood albumin and globulin levels, negative faecal culture and ame lioration of pathological and histopathological lesions. Significant i ncrease in the body weight, haemoglobin level and packed-cell volume w as marked in goats treated with levamisole combination of drugs. There were significantly increased levels of total serum protein and globul in in these treated goats. In the levamisole-treated animals acid-fast bacilli were absent from the faeces and infected tissues, whereas in the dapsone-treated goats M. paratuberculosis was present in the tissu es. Thus, levamisole in combination with other drugs was convincingly curative.