Immunization of cattle against theileriosis using varying doses of Theileria parva lawrencei and T. parva parva sporozoites and oxytetracycline treatments

Abstract

Mutugi J.J., Young A. S., Maritim A. C., Udungu S. G., Stagg D. A., Grootenhuis J. G. and Leitch B. L. 1988. Immunization of cattle against theileriosis using varying doses of Theileria parva lawrencei and T. parva parva sporozoites and oxytetracycline treatments. International Journal for Parasitology18: 453–461. Theileria parva lawrencei and T. parva parva parasites, from three sources (two from African buffalo, Syncerus caffer, and one from indigenous cattle, Bos indicus) isolated from two areas of Kenya, were chosen for investigations into immunization of cattle against theileriosis. Varying concentrations of stabilates were used to infect cattle singly in one experiment and in combination in another experiment, with one or two treatments with either long- or short-acting formulations of oxytetracyclines, respectively. It was found that high concentrations with T. parva lawrencei stabilates (10°) were not controlled satisfactorily by oxytetracyclines but with concentration of stabilate at 10⁻¹ or particularly 10⁻² it was possible to induce sub-clinical theileriosis with the development of antibodies to T. parva. Both short- and long-acting formulations of oxytetracyclines appeared to be equally effective. Some chronic effects were seen after immunization but these were not usually detected when lower concentrations of stabilate were given. Cattle immunized by this procedure were shown to be immune to homologous and heterologous challenge and some were demonstrated to become T. parva carriers.