The Action of Atebrin on Bird Malaria

Abstract

1. Atebrin given during the incubation period delays the appearance of parasites in the blood of birds infected by direct blood inoculation with Plasmodium relictum.2. If given to birds infected by the bites of mosquitoes it does not retard the appearance of parasites in the blood, when given either before, or after, the infective bites, but it has some action in diminishing the severity of the attack and the degree of splenic enlargement.3. Parasites appear in the blood of birds, infected by sporozoites, actually during the course of atebrin treatment if this is prolonged beyond the normal incubation period.4. When asexual parasites appear in the blood of mosquito-infected birds after atebrin treatment they are abnormal in appearance and devoid of pigment grains; gametocytes are rarely seen in the blood of such birds, but if present they have normal pigment granules.5. Treatment with atebrin produces peculiar bodies in the blood cells of canaries.