Bovine Trypanosomosis and Its Vector Type and Density at Debre Elias District, North-western, Ethiopia

Abstract

.A cross sectional study was conducted from September to November, 2011 to determine the status of trypanosomosis in bovine, vector type and density in Debre Elias district, north-western Ethiopia. Totally, 581 blood samples were collected and analyzed using wet and thin smears, and buffy coat technique. Four traps at randomly selected areas were deployed, and type and number of flies trapped were recorded. The overall prevalence of trypanosomosis was 10.67%. The prevalence were significantly (p<0.05) higher in lowland (17.55%) than midland (7.38%) agro-climatic zones and it was also significantly higher in middle (14.35%) than either young (10.74%) or old (6.96%) animals. However, there was no significant (p>0.05) variation between sex groups. Trypanosoma vivax and T. congolense were the two species identified in the area accounting 56.45% and 43.55% of the positive cases, respectively. A total of 912 flies were caught. Of these, 192 (21.05%) were belonging to Glossina species, whereas the remaining were Stomoxys and Tabanus. The apparent density of Glossina, Tabanus and Stomoxys were 1.60, 4.3 and 1.7 fly/trap/day, respectively. From this particular study, it was confirmed that bovine trypanosomosis is a disease of concern in the district. Therefore, appropriate strategies have to be designed to reduce its effect on livestock production.