Comparative studies on the laboratory diagnosis of experimental Trypanosoma congolense infection in sheep.

Comparative studies on the laboratory diagnosis of sheep experimentally infected with T. congolense were carried out by parasitological and serological methods during a period of 53 weeks. Trypanosomes were most numerous in the first weeks after inoculation, when they were detectable by all three parasitological tests: the wet mount preparation, the haematocrit centrifuge technique, and the mouse inoculation test. In the later stages of the infection, trypanosomes were observed intermittently by the HCT until 34 weeks, and were detected by the mouse inoculation throughout the experimental period. The immunolysis test andthe complement fixation test showed positive reactions starting from two weeks up to 30-35 weeks and 40-45 weeks respectively, while the titres of the indirect fluorescent antibody test and the non-specific immunoconglutination tests persisted at a high level throughout the infection. The effect of a trypanocidal drug was best detected by the IK test.