Abstract
Medicinal turpentine has been used extensively in the eastern Free State and KwaZulu-Natal provinces of South Africa with reportedly excellent results. It is believed that it is able to prevent and treat babesiosis (redwater) in cattle. Redwater is an often-fatal disease in cattle and results in losses of large numbers every year in South Africa. This study was initiated in an attempt to investigate the validity of the use of the turpentine as a medicinal agent. Using a semi in vitro screening assay, Babesia caballi grown in primary equine erythrocytes was exposed to various concentrations of turpentine in comparison to diminazene and imidocarb. The turpentine had no parasiticidal effect following direct exposure. During the recovery phase, the previously exposed parasites appeared to grow more slowly than the controls. In comparison, diminazene and imidocarb were 100% effective in killing the parasites. In a subsequent tolerance study in adult cattle (n = 6) at 1x (2 mL), 3x and 5x the recommended dose, the product was non-toxic. Irritation was noted at the injection site with the higher dose. The only major finding on clinical pathology was a general increase in globulins, without a concurrent change in native babesia antibody titres. It was concluded that it is unlikely that medicinal turpentine is an effective treatment against babesiosis.
Highlights
The genus Babesia belongs to the phylum Apicomplexa, class Sporozoasida, order Eucoccidiorida, suborder Piroplasmorina and family Babesiidae (De Vos & Potgieter 2004)
Babesiosis, the disease caused by the parasite, is principally a vector-borne disease transmitted by rhipicephalid ticks (Du Plessis, De Waal & Stoltsz 1994)
Due to the erythrolysis induced by parasites exiting the erythrocytes, animals are anaemic
Summary
The genus Babesia belongs to the phylum Apicomplexa, class Sporozoasida, order Eucoccidiorida, suborder Piroplasmorina and family Babesiidae (De Vos & Potgieter 2004). The two species of economic importance in southern Africa are Babesia bigemina (African redwater) and Babesia bovis (Asiatic or European redwater). Once the host is infected, the parasite has an incubation period of approximately 14 days for B. bigemina, and shorter for B. bovis, at 9 days. Clinical signs that develop include: pyrexia, listlessness, anorexia, a decrease in or cessation of rumen movements, decreased milk production, and for B. bovis especially, neurological signs. After being infected and surviving, animals develop what is known as premunity. In this state, the animals appear to be resistant to further infection due to some parasites remaining latent in the blood (De Vos & Potgieter 2004). If the disease remains untreated, the mortality rate may reach 90%
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