Use of the miniature anion exchange centrifugation technique to isolate Trypanosoma evansi from goats

DEAE (anion exchanger diethylaminoethyl)-cellulose and mini Anion Exchange Centrifugation Technique (mAECT) allow salivarian trypanosomes to be separated from the blood of affected animals. The purpose of this study was to assess the mAECT in goats infected with T evansi. Five adult Canary goats were inoculated intravenously with at least 1 X 105 T. evansi isolated from a dromedary camel in the Canary Islands. The goats were monitored for specific antibodies and parasite detection. The inoculated goats became infected and the parasitemia remained very low but was persistent. For mAECT columns, the DEAE gel was equilibrated with phosphate-buffered saline glucose. T evansi was detected by its mobility with a microscope at low magnification (10 X 10). The mAECT proved to be more sensitive than blood smear and buffy coat but less sensitive than mouse inoculation. We conclude that in cases of very low parasitemia in goats, mAECT can be used when other parasite-detection tests have failed.