Eight domestic pigs were inoculated with T. brucei brucei to study the clinical course of the disease and response to trypanocidal treatment. The pigs were kept in a fly-proof house throughout the study period of 98 days. Following inoculation with T. brucei brucei, the pigs were monitored for parasiteamia, packed cell volume, hemoglobin, body weight and temperature. Trypanocidal treatment commenced on day 15 postinoculation when parasiteamia had reached 1x103 trypanosomes per ml. The pigs were treated with either 3.5 or 7mg/kg of diaminazine aceturate and 0.5 or 1mg/kg of body weight of isometamedium chloride. Packed cell volume, Hemoglobin and parasiteamia were the only parameters that changed significantly during the study period. Relapses occurred in 4 pigs that received either 0.5mg/ml of isometamedium chloride; 3.5 or 7mg/Kg of body weight of diaminazine aceturate. A dose of 14mg/kg of diaminazine aceturate or 1mg/kg of Isometamedium Chloride completely cleared the infection in relapsed pigs. By and large, the clinical course of T. brucei infection in domestic pigs was of a subtle nature and probably would contribute to the reservoir pool for the T. brucei brucei where control methods excluded pigs.
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