Treatment of experimentally induced Theileria annulata infection in cross-bred calves with buparvaquone

Abstract

Twenty cross-bred ( Bos taurus × Bos indicus) calves, 7–21 days old, were infected by a groundup tick supernate of Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum infected with the Hisar isolate of Theileria annulata. Six calves acted as untreated controls and they all died of theileriosis within 17 days of infection. The remaining 14 calves were divided into Groups A and B, each consisting of seven calves. All the calves of Groups A and B were treated intramuscularly with buparvaquone (BW 720C) on Day 11 post-infection, when clinical signs of theileriosis were apparent. Each calf received 2.5 mg BW 720 C kg −1 body weight as a single injection. In addition, each calf of Group B was given proprietary haematinics by intramuscular injection, daily for 12 days. In Group A, two calves died of cerebral theileriosis and five were clinically cured. However, four of these five calves later died of anaemia. In Group B, all the calves were clinically cured and none died during the observation period of 1 month. The parasitaemia declined to < 1% within a fortnight of treatment. The initial declines in haemoglobin concentration and packed cell volume were halted and pre-infection values were soon restored. No toxic signs attributable to treatment with buparvaquone were observed.