Bovine trypanosomosis in three districts of Southwest Oromia, Ethiopia

Abstract

A study was carried out from September 2007 to March 2008 to determine the prevalence of trypanosomosis and the apparent tsetse densities and other biting flies as well as to evaluate community awareness about the disease and its control method in three districts of west Shoa zone in Oromia. From a total of 1200 animals examined, (600 in the late rainy and 600 in the dry seasons) the prevalence of trypanosomosis was found to be 33.5% and 17.83% in the late rainy and dry seasons, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in prevalence was observed (p<0.05) between the two seasons. The mean PCV values of the parasitaemic and aparasitaemic animals during the late rainy season were 20.19% and 26.75% while during the dry season 18.75% and 23.97%, respectively. A fly-survey was conducted by using 90 monoconical pyramidal traps and revealed that three tsetse species, namely G. pallidipes, G. m. submorsitans and G. f. fuscipes were found along with other biting flies (tabanids and muscids) in the study area. The apparent densities of tsetse flies were significantly different (p<0.05) during the two study. The overall apparent densities of tsetse flies were found to be 2.87 fly/trap/day (95% CI= 1.04-5.77%) and 1.26 flay/tap/day (95% CI= 1.17-2.07%) in late rainy and dry seasons, respectively. G. f. fuscipes and G. pallidipes appear to be the dominant tsetse species in the study area. The proportion of female tsetse flies caught was higher in both seasons. The apparent density of biting flies (tabanids and muscids) was significantly higher (p<0.05) in the late rainy season (1.49 fly/trap/day, 18.66 fly/trap/day) than the dry season (0.77 fly/trap/day, 15.04 fly/trap/day) respectively. Poor infrastructure, absence of trypanosomosis and vector control activities in the area have worsen the situation and hence require professional intervention.