Effect of levamisole on faecal levels of acid-fast organisms in cows with paratuberculosis

摘要

PARATUBERCULOSIS is a debilitating disease of livestock caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). Its control is very important for the industry because of the economic loss caused by decreased milk yield, pregnancy rate and increased veterinary costs (Murray and Smith 2002, Radostits and others 2004). Levamisole has been used for the treatment of many nematode infections in animals. Levamisole has also been administered to induce immunostimulatory effects in many studies (Symoens and Rosenthal 1977, Babiuk and Misra 1982, Flesh and others 1982, Anderson 1984, Mulcahy and others 1991, Obminska-Domoradzka and Calkosinski 1994, Senturk and others 2003). The mechanism of action by which levamisole produces its immunostimulatory effects is not well understood. It is believed that levamisole restores cell-mediated immune function in peripheral T lymphocytes and stimulates phagocytosis by monocytes (Barrgy 1994).