Trypanosomiasis control in Boran cattle in Kenya: a comparison between chemoprophylaxis and a parasite detection and intravenous treatment method using isometamidium chloride

Two methods of trypanosome control in Boran cattle kept under very high trypanosomiasis risk were compared: the traditional intramuscular isometamidium chloride prophylaxis with a parasite detection and intravenous isometamidium chloride treatment method. The results were related to a control group under diminazene aceturate treatment. Isometamidium chloride at 0.25 mg/kg as routinely used by the ranch was of little benefit by either method, with breakthrough infections occurring as early as one week after treatment. When isometamidium chloride at 1 mg/kg was used, the curative intravenous method appeared to be superior to the intramuscular prophylaxis with regard to cost of drugs and to a 31% higher weight gain over a 30 week period. Weekly infection rates in the intravenous group decreased over time, despite an increasing trypanosomiasis challenge, with a mean interval of 6.4 weeks between treatments as compared with 4.3 weeks in a diminazene aceturate control group. It was concluded that isometamidium chloride given intravenously had not only a very good therapeutic but also a considerable prophylactic effect of not less than four weeks.