Detection of re-emerging bovine trypanosomiasis in southern Zambia by loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP

Abstract

In the present study, trypanosome species-specific Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique, specifically targeting the 18S rRNA gene of Trypanosoma congolense, the repetitive insertion mobile element (RIME) gene of the Trypanozoon subgenus group and the human serum resistant associated (SRA) gene of Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, was used to determine the prevalence of bovine trypanosomiasis in the Choma - Kalomo block, an important agricultural area within the Southern province of Zambia. Our data show that out of the 460 cattle sampled, 12.8% (59) were detected to have trypanosomes in their blood by LAMP, suggesting the resurgence of bovine trypanosomiasis in the previously aerial-sprayed Choma-Kalomo block. The majority of those infections were caused by T. congolense. Considering that LAMP is a highly sensitive and specific technique and yet user friendly, this
test may in future prove to be instrumental in the routine accurate detection of trypanosomiasis in field samples in resource-limited countries such as Zambia.