Effects of experimental Trypanosoma evansi infection on pregnancy in Yankasa ewes A.A. Adeyeye a, * , I.U. Ate b , A.I. Lawal c , S. Adamu d a Department of Theriogenology and Animal Production, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria b Department of Theriogenology and Production, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria c Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria d Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria article info Article history: Received 26 March 2015 Received in revised form 26 October 2015 Accepted 26 October 2015 Keywords: Yankasa ewe Trypanosoma evansi Pregnancy Lamb weight Gestation length abstract Twenty pregnant Yankasa ewes were assigned to three groups to determine the effect of Trypanosoma evansi infection on pregnancy. Groups A and B comprising seven ewes each were infected with approximately 1.0  10 6 cells of T evansi per ewe through venepuncture at the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, respectively. Group C comprising six ewes served as uninfected control. There was slight pyrexia in the infected groups (groups A and B) but was absent in group C. The mean body weight, glucose concentration, and packed cell volume of ewes in group A were not significantly different from those in group C throughout the study. There was also no significant difference in mean glucose concentration between groups B and C. However, in group B, mean body weight was significantly (P < 0.05) lower compared to group C at week 2 and from week 4 post infection (pi) till the end of the study; the packed cell volume also significantly (P < 0.05) decreased but at weeks 4 and 6 pi. The mean plasma protein of ewes in group A was significantly (P < 0.05) increased compared to those of group C at weeks 7, 11 pi and thereafter till the end of the study. On the contrary, the plasma protein of ewes in group B decreased significantly (P < 0.05) compared to those in group C at weeks 2 and 6 pi. There were no reproductive losses throughout the study. This was characterized by insignificant differences in the gestation length between ewes in the infected groups (groups A and B) compared with those in group C. However, there were significant (P < 0.05) decreases in lamb birth weights of ewes in group B compared with ewes in groups A and C. Mice inoculation with blood from infected ewes postpartum was parasitemic 18 to 25 days pi, for ewes in group B, whereas none of the mice in groups A and C were parasitemic. Lambs born from the infected groups (groups A and B) were also aparasitemic for 40 days postpartum. It was therefore concluded that the T evansi isolate used caused mild trypanosomosis when infected at third trimester, whereas ewes infected at second trimester were resistant. Ó 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Disease is the major singular entity limiting livestock production in Nigeria [1], leading to shortage in animal protein available for the populace. Parasitic diseases, particularly those associated with anemia are known to cause reproductive loss [2] and behavioral changes [3] in livestock. Trypanosomosis is one of such parasitic disease. It is characterized by intermittent fever, anorexia, increased Present Address for I.U. Ate: Department of Veterinary Surgery and Theriogenology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria * Corresponding author. Tel.: þ2348032859940; fax: þ23460235519. E-mail address: adewale.adeyeye@udusok.edu.ng (A.A. Adeyeye). Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Theriogenology journal homepage: www.theriojournal.com 0093-691X/$ – see front matter Ó 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2015.10.034 Theriogenology xxx (2015) 1–8