Browsing by Author "Onyuth, Howard"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Economic cost of bovine trypanosomosis in pastoral and ago pastoral communities in Buliisa district, Uganda
    (Research Square, 2022) Kizza, Daniel; Ocaido, Michael; Mugisha, Anthony; Azuba, Rose; Nalule, Sarah; Onyuth, Howard; Musinguzi, Simon Peter; Nalubwama, Sylvia; Waiswa, Charles
    Animal diseases that are endemic like tsetse transmitted trypanosomosis cause continuous expenditure of financial resources of livestock farmers and loss of productivity of livestock. Estimating the cost of controlling animal trypanosomosis can provide evidence for priority setting and targeting cost effective control strategies. Methodology A cross sectional survey to estimate the economic cost of bovine trypanosomosiswas conducted in cattle keeping communities living around Murchision falls National Park, in Buliisa district Uganda. Data was collected on herd structure, the cost of treatment and control, prevalence of morbidity and mortality rates due to trypanosomosis, salvage sales losses in cattle herd in the last one year. Results- In this study, 55.4% (n= 87) of the households reported their cattle had been affected by trypanosomosis during the previous last year. There was a high economic cost trypanosomosis (USD 653) per household in cattle keeping communities in Buliisa district of which 83% and 9% was due to mortality and milk loss respectively/ High mortality loss was due to low investment in treatment. The study showed that prophylactic treatment 3 times a year of the whole herd of cattle using Samorin ® (Isometamidium chloride) at a cost of USD 110 could drastically reduce cattle mortality loss due to trypanosomosis due to trypanosomosis with return on investment of USD 540 annually per herd. This could be coupled with strategic restricted insecticide spraying of cattle with deltamethrin products. Conclusions. The results show a high economic cost of trypanosomosis in cattle keeping communities in Buliisa district with mortality of cattle contributing the largest proportion of the economic cost. The high mortality loss was due to low investment in treatment of sick cattle
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Heterogeneity in Prevalence of Bovine Trypanosomosis and its Associated Risk Factors in Pastoral and Agro Pastoral Communities Surrounding Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda.
    (Research Square, 2021) Kizza, Daniel; Ocaido, Michael; Mugisha, Anthony; Azuba, Rose; Nalule, Sarah; Onyuth, Howard; Musinguzi, Simon Peter; Okwasiimire, Rodney; Waiswa, Charles
    Bovine trypanosomosis transmitted by tsetse flies is a major constraint to cattle health and productivity in sub- Saharan countries including Uganda. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of bovine trypanosomosis and its associated risk factors and the species of trypanosomes associated with the disease. Methodology: A cross sectional study was conducted around Murchision Falls National Park, Uganda from January 2020 to April 2020. Blood samples were collected from 460 cattle and were screened for trypanosomes using ITS-PCR. Results: From 460 samples collected, 136 (29.6%) of the samples were positive for trypanosomosis infections while 324 (70.4%) samples were negative. The overall trypanosome prevalence was 29.6% (95% CI 25.4-33.8). T. vivax (n = 130, 28.3%) was the most prevalent trypanosome specie detected and two mixed infection types (T.vivax + T. congolense (n = 2, 0.4%) and T.vivax + T. brucei (n = 1.0, 0.2%) were detected during the analysis. There was a significant difference when Trypanosome prevalence was compared with sex, age, breed of the sampled animals (P < 0.05 for sex), (P = 0.0043 for age) and (P = 0.001 for breed). Conclusion; Trypanosomosis is still a major limitation to cattle production around Murchision Falls National Park and interventions are urgently needed .The prevalence of trypanosomosis was high and T.vivax was identified as the major trypanosome species in the cattle herd.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Knowledge Attitude and Practices (KAPs) on Control of Bovine African Trypanosomosis in Pastoral Communities Surrounding Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda
    (Research Square, 2020) Kizza, Daniel; Ocaido, Michaeal; Mugisha, Anthony; Nalule, Sarah; Onyuth, Howard; Musinguzi, Simon Peter; Waiswa, Charles
    A survey was done among pastoral communities surrounding Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda to assess knowledge, attitude and practices about the control of bovine traypanosomosis. Methods: This was done using participatory methods and structured questionnaire. Results: The majority of the participants had ever seen tsetse flies and had ever heard about trypanosomosis with no significant difference (P > 0.05) across the five sub counties About 116 participants (73.9%) stated that trypanosomosis was a major disease in their area and across the five sub counties significant difference (P < 0.05) was observed. Farmers grazing near national parks and animals sharing grazing land and watering points with wild life respectively were considered the main causes of Bovine trypanosomosis. A significant difference (P < 0.01) in knowledge of farmers about the causes and signs of trypanosomosis in the study sub counties was observed. There was a high significant difference (P < 0.01) in control practices of trypanosomosis used in the study sub counties with the majority of farmers (58.6%) using insecticide treated cattle and significantly differed across the sub counties. Conclusion: The majority of participants had ever heard/seen tsetse flies and had ever heard about Nagana. Grazing near national parks and animal sharing grazing land and watering points with wildlife were the main causes of trypanosomosis. Insecticide treated cattle and not grazing in areas infested with tsetse flies were the major control practices of trypanosomosis. Knowledge about the disease, farmers’ attitude and control practices have overtime contributed to the pastoral communities and their cattle developing the needed resilience for survival in this high risk area.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Knowledge, attitudes and practices on bovine trypanosomosis control in pastoral and agro pastoral communities surrounding Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda
    (Tropical Animal Health and Production, 2021) Kizza, Daniel; Ocaido, Michael; Mugisha, Anthony; Azuba, Rose; Nalule, Sarah; Onyuth, Howard; Musinguzi, Simon Peter; Nalubwama, Sylvia; Waiswa, Charles
    A mixed method survey was conducted among pastoral and agro pastoral communities surrounding Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda to assess knowledge, attitudes and practices about control of bovine trypanosomosis. A total of 96.8% (n = 152) of the participants had seen tsetse flies, and close to 91.7% (n = 116) of the participants had heard about bovine trypanosomosis. Bovine trypanosomosis was reported as a major disease in their area by about 73.9%(n = 116). There was a significant difference (P < 0.05) in the level of awareness and perception about tsetse and bovine trypanosomosis across the study sub counties. The majority of the farmers (60.5%) stated that grazing near national parks was the main cause of bovine trypanosomosis. A small proportion of farmers associated sharing grazing land and watering points with wildlife (19.1%) and grazing cattle in tsetse flyinfested areas (8.3%) as the causes of trypanosomosis. The communities in the study sub counties were aware of at least one or two clinical signs of bovine trypanosomosis. Spraying cattlewith insecticide and avoiding grazing animals in tsetse-infested areas were the control practices. Curative trypanocides were mainly used to treat their cattle against trypanosomosis. Bush clearing, targets and traps as tsetse fly control measures were less practiced by the farmers. Treatment of cattle was based on observation of clinical signs due to absence of blood diagnostic facilities. Implementing regular tsetse fly population monitoring surveys and promotion of disease rapid diagnostic tools at farm level as long-term strategies are key for effective control of the disease.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Prevalence and risk factors for trypanosome infection in cattle from communities surrounding the Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda
    (Parasites & Vectors, 2021) Kizza, Daniel; Ocaido, Michael; Mugisha, Anthony; Azuba, Rose; Nalule, Sarah; Onyuth, Howard; Musinguzi, Simon Peter; Okwasiimire, Rodney; Waiswa, Charles
    Bovine trypanosomosis transmitted by tsetse flies is a major constraint to cattle health and productivity in all sub-Saharan countries, including Uganda. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of bovine trypanosomosis and identify its associated risk factors and the species of trypanosomes associated with the disease. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted around Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda from January 2020 to April 2020. Trypanosomes were detected in blood samples by PCR analysis targeting the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS-PCR assays), and trypanosomes in positive blood samples were sequenced. Results: Of 460 blood samples collected and tested, 136 (29.6%) were positive for trypanosome infections and 324 (70.4%) were negative. The overall trypanosome prevalence was 29.6% (95% confidence interval 25.4–33.8%), attributed to three trypanosome species. Of these three species, Trypanosoma vivax was the most prevalent (n = 130, 28.3%) while the others were detected as mixed infections: T. vivax + Trypanosoma congolense (n = 2, 0.4%) and T. vivax + Trypanosoma evansi (n = 1, 0.2%). There were significant differences in trypanosome prevalence according to sex (χ2 = 62, df = 1, P < 0.05), age (χ2 = 6.28, df = 2, P = 0.0043) and cattle breed (χ2 = 10.61, df = 1, P = 0.001). Conclusions: Trypanosomosis remains a major limitation to cattle production around Murchison Falls National Park and interventions are urgently needed. In our study, the prevalence of trypanosome infections was high, with T. vivax identified as the most prevalent species. Age, sex and breed of cattle were risk factors for trypanosome infection.