[Comparative test of the efficacy of babesicidal agents]

The effectiveness and the sterilizing capacity were tested of some chemotherapeutic means against Babesia, such as tripanblau, tripaflavin, acaprin, berenil, and pyrodia, using spontaneously affected animals as well as animals challenged with infectious blood. The efficacy of these means was evaluated on the basis of the term needed to lower the body temperature back to normal and the time for which the parasites disappear from the peripheral blood. The sterilizing capacity was demonstrated on healthy susceptible animals treated with blood taken from survivals that had been medically treated. The extent to which parasitamia had developed was read by means of a fast and approximately precise method. Berenil and pyrodia proved superior to the remaining agents--they were readily applicable and were tolerated by the animals: recovery set in within a short time; these means could attenuate the virulence, and in some cases could render the host sterile with regard to the parasite's presence. Best results were produced when etiotropic therapeutic means were applied (upon judgement) along with pathogenetic means.