Assessing risk factors for Trypanosome infections in cattle in wildlife interface areas in Northern Tanzania
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Date
2019
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology
Abstract
Trypanosomosis is a vector-borne, tropical disease that causes mortality and morbidity in livestock and humans. In this study, we investigated the risk factors for trypanosome infection in cattle in the Maasai Steppe of northern Tanzania. We assessed the influence of age, sex, herd size and history of treatment against trypanosomosis as risk factors of trypanosome infection. Cattle blood samples were collected from 150 cattle in three villages in the vicinity of Tarangire National Park, which acts as a reservoir of tsetse flies, the trypanosome vector. Parasite species were identified using a nested Polymerase Chain Reaction (n-PCR). Smaller herd sizes, young age (1-2 years), and male sex significantly increased the risk of trypanosome infections. Efforts to control trypanosome infection should be strategically based on location and season while considering age, treatment and herd size as risk factors.
Description
Full-text article. Also available at https://doi.org/10.23937/2474-3658/1510078
Keywords
Risk factors, Trypanosome infection, Northern Tanzania, Trypanosomosis, Tanzania, Wildlife interface areas, Cattle, Tarangire National Park, Livestock diseases, Trypanosome vector
Citation
Ngongolo, K., Estes, A. B., Hudson, P. J., & Gwakisa, P. S. (2019). Assessing risk factors for Trypanosome infections in cattle in wildlife interface areas in Northern Tanzania. Journal of Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology, 5, 078.