LACK OF CORRELATION OF ANEMIA WITH SPLENOMEGALY AND HEPATOMEGALY IN TRYPANOSOMA-BRUCEI AND TRYPANOSOMA-CONGOLENSE INFECTIONS OF RATS

Isolates of Trypanosoma brucei and Trypanosoma congolense from the blo od of cattle were used to infect growing rats. Despite the use of simi lar infective doses, T. brucei parasitaemia appeared earlier than T. c ongolense parasitaemia. After the same period of parasitaemia, the deg rees of anaemia, splenomegaly and hepatomegaly were similar in both in fections. The percentage decrease in packed cell volume was not correl ated with splenic and hepatic weights. Neither infection significantly affected the weight gain of the rats. It was concluded that both orga nisms caused diseases of comparable severity and that the mere enlarge ment of the spleen and liver made no significant contribution to the d evelopment of the anaemia. (C) 1997 W.B. Saunders Company Limited.