Abstract:
Background: A key objective in basic research on human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) is
developing a cheap and reliable experimental model of the disease for use in pathogenesis and
drug studies.
Objective: With a view to improving current models, a study was undertaken to characterise
the virulence and pathogenicity of three Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense stabilates, labelled as
International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)-2918, ILRI-3953, and Institute of Primate
Research (IPR)-001, infected into Swiss white mice.
Methods: Swiss white mice were infected intraperitoneally with trypanosomes and observed
for parasitaemia using wet blood smears obtained by tail snipping. Induction of late-stage
disease was undertaken using diminazene aceturate (40 mg/kg, Berenil) with curative
treatment done using melarsoprol (3.6 mg/kg, Arsobal).
Results: The prepatent period for the stabilates ranged from three to four days with mean
peak parasitaemia ranging from Log10 6.40 to 8.36. First peak parasitaemia for all stabilates
varied between six and seven days post infection (DPI) followed by secondary latency in ILRI-
2918 (15–17 DPI) and IPR-001 (17–19 DPI). Survival times ranged from six DPI (ILRI-3953) to
86 DPI (IPR-001). Hindleg paresis was observed in both ILRI-3953 (at peak parasitaemia) and
ILRI-2918 (after relapse parasitaemia). Mice infected with IPR-001 survived until 54 DPI when
curative treatment was undertaken.
Conclusions: This study demonstrated that the stabilates ILRI-2918 and ILRI-3953 were
unsuitable for modelling late-stage HAT in mice. The stabilate IPR-001 demonstrated the
potential to induce chronic trypanosomiasis in Swiss white mice for use in development of a
late-stage model of HAT.
