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The Effect of Hydrocortisone on Skin Lesions, Antibody Titers, and Parasitemia in Trypansoma Gambiense-Infected Rabbits^*

John Richard Seed, Harvey R. Marcus AND Edward L. Risby

Rabbits infected with Trypanosoma gambiense develop large, spreading skin lesions. After intradermal injection of live trypanosomes there is considerable inflammation, characterized by swelling, hardness, and redness at the site of injection. Infected rabbits were treated daily with hydrocortisone and examined for skin lesions, agglutinating antibody titers, and parasitemia levels. This treatment eliminated the skin lesions, did not appreciably alter agglutinating antibody titers, and raised parasitemia levels. Treated animals also showed large weight loss and shortened survival time. Caution must therefore be used in treating human cases of African trypanosomiasis with hydrocortisone.

Accepted for publication October 26, 1971.

^* This work was supported by a research contract (DA Contract 49-193-MD-2817) from the U. S. Army Medical Research and Development Command.

Present address: Department of Microbiology, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tennessee 37208.