Assessment Of Vector And Animal African Trypanosomosis (AAT) At Twatwatwa In Kilosa, Tanzania

Abstract

Entomological and parasitological surveys were carried out at Twatwatwa
Community Based Organization (CBO) composed of Twatwatwa sub-village and Mawale-Lutindi sub-village in Kilosa district in order to assess the tsetse and Animal African Trypanosomosis (AAT) situation during the onset of the rain season of 2004. Blood samples from 73 cattle chosen randomly (plus few animals which were chosen basing on the clinical signs of the disease were collected and examined by heamatocrit centrifugation technique.
Entomological surveys were simultaneously conducted using Challier Laveissiere biconical, pyramidal, S3 and sticky panel. Vector trappings were conducted from two sub-villages in the CBO; Twatwatwa sub-village along rivers Wami and Mkata and along the village and forest border at Mawale/Lutindi. The disease prevalence in bled animals was 16.4% and the
infection rate in dissected tsetse flies, which mainly were Glossina pallidipes, was 31%. The results indicate a presence of a high disease incidence in the area. Tseste flies caught using stationary traps include Glossina pallidipes, G. morsitans morsitans, G. brevipalpis and G. austeni in the order of decreasing abundance and apparent densities for each species respectively. From the total number of tsetse caught and dissected, it appears that G. pallidipes is the major vector. High prevalence of AAT in the area was found to be due to
poor grazing range management; high vector density and scarcity of water sources for animals.

Tanzania Veterinary Journal Vol. 24 (2) 2007: pp. 122-128