Effect Of Food Supplementation On The White Blood Cells Count And Differential Leucocytes Count Of Trypanosome-Infected Pregnant Rats

Trypanosomiasis is an important livestock disease in sub-Saharan Africa. Improvement on host\'s nutrition is mportant in moderating the severity of pathophysiological efect of trypanosomiasis and it also influences the rate of recovery. Earlier researchers demonstrated that dietary supplement of selenium and vitamin E enhanced immune response in white rats. It has also been reported that during pregnancy, immune response is depressed. Leucocytes count has been recognized as a measure of immune response. This research was therefore conducted using chicks\' marsh fortified with 80 mg of vitamin E and 0.3 mg of selenum as control (Diet 1) to determine theefect of dietary suppementaton ofmoderate protein (combinaton of 250 g of corn meal, 240 g soyabean meal and 10 g of crayfish) inthe chicks\' mash (Diet 2), high dietary protein (combination of 400 g of caseinogen and 300 g o soyabean meal) (Diet 3), and high detary carbohydrate (combinaton of 400 g dextrose and 300 g cornmeal) (Diet 4) in the chicks\' mash on the white blood cells count and differential leucocytes count of trypanosome-infected pregnant rats. Dies 1 – 4 were given to rats in Cage A – D, respectively. The rats were nfected withtrypanosomes within 10th to 14th day of pregnancy. Each experimental set up was replicated three times. On comparing the total white blood cell counts of all the rats fed differen diets, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) between the rats in Cage A (fed Det 1) and rats in Cage B (fed Diet 2), and similarly between rats in Cage C (ed Diet 3) and rats in Cage D (fed Diet 4). There was,however, significant difference (P < 0.05) between rats in Cage A and rats in Cages C and D, and also between rats in Cage B and those in Cages C and D Det 2 with a moderate (20.01%) proein leveland a balance of other nutrients produced the highest leucocytes count. Diet 2 therefore produced the highest immune response in the pregnant trypanosome-infected rats. Keywords: Trypanosomiasis, Nutrition, Leucocytes count, Immune responseAnimal Research International Vol. 4 (2) 2007 pp. 643-64