Tsetse Fly Distribution and Occurrence of Trypanosoma Species among Cattle and Goats around Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda

Abstract

African Animal Trypanosomiasis (AAT) is an infectious disease of economic and veterinary importance in Sub-Saharan Africa. The current study aimed at providing baseline information on tsetse fly distribution and occurrence of Trypanosoma species in cattle and goats within and around Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP), in western Uganda. A minimal entomological survey was conducted in April 2017 while blood samples collected from cattle (n = 576) and goats (n = 319) in June 2015 and May 2017 were subjected to Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to determine the occurrence of Trypanosoma species.Glossina pallidipes and G. fuscipes were the only tsetse fly species trapped in the study area with apparent density of 20.6. The overall prevalence of Trypanosoma spp. was 27% for goats and approximately 38% for cattle. The most prevalent Trypanosoma spp. in goats was T. brucei (n = 60, 18.8%) while the most prevalent in cattle was T. congolense (n = 102, 27.1%). In both cattle and goats, a dual infection of T. brucei + T. congolense was most encountered. In goats a triple infection of T. brucei + T. congolense + T. vivax was higher than that in cattle. Current findings show that there are two species of tsetse flies, and three species of Trypanosoma, important in transmission of AAT in both cattle and goats. Control efforts of AAT have mainly focused on cattle and this study proves that prevention and control efforts should also involve goat farmers.