Epidemiological Study of Bovine Trypanosomosis in Selective Kebeles of South Omo Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

A cross-sectional study was carried out aimed at determining the Epidemiological study of bovine trypanosomosis, tsetse density and other biting flies during dry season in selected kebeles of South Omo zone, from November, 2011 to February, 2013. Blood samples were collected from 1056 randomly selected cattle to detect the prevalence of trypanosomes using buffy coat method. The overall infection rate 6.9% (N=73) was recorded; the highest prevalence was observed in Gondoroba(15,3%) and Kure(15,0%); no significant difference was observed within kebeles except Arbuj (P=0.03). The cattle are invariably infected with different species of trypanosome parasite and among these Trypanosoma congolense is the commonest (5.4%) followed by Trypanosoma viviax (0.8 %) and non-pathogenic trypanosome theilerii(0.8%) .The mean PCV value of parasitemic and aparasitaemic animals was recorded PCV values less than 26% were considered as anemic. The distribution of percentage of PCV( 26.89% with standard Deviation 7.13). The highest distribution of trypanosomes species were detected at end of the rain (54.4 %) with (45.6%) dry season; not differ significant from each other at .05 level. In each study area, entomological surveys were conducted using biconical traps and it indicated that G. pallidipes were the only tsetse fly species caught in the study area along with other biting flies like Tabanids and Muscids in savanna woodland and Marginal River(Weyto) during dry season. The overall apparent density of tsetse flies in the study area was 1.95 flies/trap/day. Suggest that in endemic areas of  trypanosomiasis should be  practical control  and reduce  or eliminate tsetse fly populations with traps, insecticides and by treating infected animals with anti-parasitic drugs and continues follow up of drug sensitivity test.

Keywords: cattle, species, tsetses, Trypanosomosis, Trypanosomes