Development of an indirect fluorescent antibody test for trypanosoma vivax in Colombia (in cattle)

ANTIGEN FOR THE IFAT WAS DERIVED FROM A STRAIN OF T. VIVAX ISOLATED FROM A COW IN THE DEPARTMENT OF CORDOBA, COLOMBIA. THE STRAIN WAS MAINTAINED VIA SERIAL PASSAGE IN HEMOPARASITE-FREE CALVES. INOCULATION OF APPROXIMATELY 2 X 109 TRYPANOSOMES INTO SPLENECTOMIZED, TRIAMCINOLONE ACETONIDE-TREATED CALVES RESULTED IN PARASITEMIAS SUITABLE FOR IFAT ANTIGEN PRODUCTION AT 66 TO 69 HOURS POST-INOCULATION. IN FIELD CASES OF TRYPANOSOMIASIS, THE IFAT WAS UP TO 21 TIMES MORE EFFECTIVE IN DETECTING T. VIVAX -- POSITIVE CATTLE ON THE BASIS OF ANTIBODY PRESENCE THAN THE THICK BLOOD SMEAR TECHNIQUE. RESULTS OF THE SURVEY REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF T. VIVAX ANTIBODIES IN CATTLE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF BOYACA, CORDOBA, META, SUCRE AND VALLE. NO T. VIVAX IFAT ANTIBODIES WERE DETECTED IN SERUMS OBTAINED FROM CATTLE IN THE DEPARTMENTS OF ANTIOQUIA, CAUCA, CAQUETA, CUNDINAMARCA, TOLIMA AND VICHADA.