Table 3.
Effects of buparvaquone treatment on clinical signs, mortality, fertility and cerebral N. caninum Nc-Spain7 infection in non-pregnant mice, dams and pups
| Parameter | BPQ | Placebo | No treatment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-pregnant females | |||
| Number | 8 | 8 | 7 |
| Clinical signs | 0/8 | 0/8 | 0/7 |
| Mortality | 0/8 | 0/8 | 0/7 |
| Seropositive | 8/8 | 8/8 | 0/7 |
| Nc positive | 2/8* | 8/8 | 0/7 |
| Dams and pups | |||
| Number of dams | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Clinical signs | 0/8+ | 5/8 | 0/8 |
| Mortality | 0/8*** | 1/8 | 0/8 |
| Seropositive dams | 8/8 | 8/8 | 0/8 |
| Nc positive dams | 6/8*** | 8/8 | 0/8 |
| Pregnancy rate | 8/16 | 8/16 | 8/15 |
| Total number of pups | 46 | 43 | 47 |
| Litter size average | 46/8*** | 43/8 | 47/8 |
| Neonatal mortalitya | 1/46*** | 2/43 | 0/47 |
| Postnatal mortalityb | 18/45** | 40/41 | 0/47 |
| Nc positive pups | 25/45** | 41/41 | 0/47 |
BALB/c mice were treated with buparvaquone (BPQ) in corn oil or with corn oil alone (Placebo), infected with Nc-Spain7, or were neither treated nor infected (no treatment), and euthanized as described in Section “Materials and methods”. Adults and surviving pups were tested for the presence of N. caninum in their brains by real time PCR. Pups that had died before the end of the experiment were considered as Nc positive. Respective numbers of animals in BPQ and placebo groups were compared by Chi square tests (*** p > 0.1, + p < 0.1, * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.001).
aProportion of pups born dead or that died within the two first days post partum.
bProportion of pups dead from day 3 to 30 pp, considered as Nc positive.