This study was carried out to evaluate the combined effects of dietary supplementation of vitamin E (Vit E) and selenium (Se) on total white blood cells, mononucleated cells, polymorphonucleated cells and packed cell volume of Trypanosoma congolense-infected rats (Rattus rattus). Ninety adult R. rattus of pure breed of whiskers were used. The rats were randomly assigned to six treatments groups (A - F) of six cages with five rats in each cage. Each treatment was replicated three times. The rats were fed chicks' mash-based diets (Top Feed Industries) containing varied quantities of vitamin E and selenium. In Treatment A, the control, neither vitamin E nor selenium was included in the diet while in other treatments (B - F) the chicks' mash contained different levels of inclusion of vitamin E and selenium, as follows: Diet B, 0.1 mg Se plus 60 mg Vit E, Diet C, 0.3 mg Se plus 80 mg Vit E, Diet D, 0.5 mg Se plus 100 mg Vit E, Diet E, 0.3 mg Se plus 0.0 mg Vit E and Diet F, 0.0 mg Se and 80 mg Vit E respectively. Blood samples of the rats from each treatment were taken on weekly basis and the blood parameters determined. The experiment lasted five weeks at the end of which it was found that 0.3 mg Se plus 80mg Vit E (Diet C) significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced the resistance of the R. rattus studied against trypanosomiasis, the rats lived beyond the usual 10 - 20 days after being infected with T. congolense. Key Words: Vitamin E, Selenium, Blood, Trypanosome, Rattus rattus Bio-Research Vol.2(1) 2004: 8-17
BO Mgbenka, AN Ufele
