Sequence Analysis of Human Trypanosome Detected in a 1-Year Old Boer-boel with a Case of Trypanosomosis in Abeokuta, Nigeria

Abstract

African trypanosomosis is a devastating protozoan disease affecting man and animals. The species Trypanosoma brucei gambiemse and T.brucei rhodiense are specifically responsible for causing sleeping sickness in human in Africa. In this study, T. brucei gambiemse was molecularly detected in a dog presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, College of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria with signs of corneal opacity, mucopurulent ocular discharges, pale mucous membrane and recumbency. Haematological examination revealed PCV of 12%, decreased lymphocyte and neutrophil counts. Gel electrophoresis of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) product revealed a band of 580bp corresponding to T. brucei. Sequencing of the PCR product revealed T. brucei gambiemse. We concluded that T. brucei gambiemse (a human infective trypanosome) is capable of causing clinical trypanosomosis in dogs. This report presents sequence analysis of human infective species of trypanosome molecularly detected in a 1-year old Boer boel breed of dog in Abeokuta, Nigeria.

Keywords: Sequences, Trypanosoma brucei gambiemse, Boerboel, Nigeria.