Use of Suratex for Field Diagnosis of Patent and Non-Patent Trypanosoma Evansi infections in Camels

Abstract

Recent development of sensitive immunoassay techniques for the detection of circulating trypanosomal antigens has significantly improved the diagnosis of both animal and human trypanosomosis (Rae & Luckins, 1984;Nantulya, 1989; Nantulya el al., 1992; Olaho-Mukani, 1989). This is because these tests are diagnostically more sensitive than parasitological tests, and the detection of antigens in the peripheral circulation is a more reliable indication of active infection (Voller & De Savigny, 1981). They are also ideal for the evaluation of chemotherapeutic response, because, after effective treatment, trypanosomal antigens disappear from the circulation (Olaho-Mukani et al., 1992), until recently, however, trypanosomal antigen detection tests were limited to laboratory use only. The introduction of card latex agglutination tests for the field diagnosis of animal and human trypanosomosis (Nantulya, 1993, 1994) is expected to overcome this obstacle. In the present study, a commercial kit (Suratex, Brentec Diagnostics, Nairobi) was used to conduct a recently introduced latex agglutination test (Nantulya, 1994), for the evaluation of chemotherapeutic response and diagnosis of. Typanosoma evansi infection in camels.