Abstract
BackgroundInternal transcribed spacer one (ITS1) of the ribosomal DNA is known to be a suitable target for PCR-based detection of trypanosomes. The analysis of this region provides a multi-species-specific diagnosis by a single PCR. Using ITS1 primer-based PCR, a cross sectional study was carried out in the period from September to November 2009 on samples collected from 687 camels from geographically distinct zones in the Sudan to detect all possible African trypanosomes, which can infect camels.ResultsThe results showed that all PCR-positive camels were infected with a single parasite species; Trypanosoma evansi. The highest prevalence, 57.1% (117/205), was observed in the Butana plains of mid-Eastern Sudan and the lowest, 6.0% (4/67), was in the Umshadeeda eastern part of White Nile State. In another experiment, the RoTat 1.2 gene encoding the variable surface glycoprotein (VSG) of T. evansi was analyzed for its presence or absence by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using T. evansi species-specific primers. The study showed that the RoTat 1.2 VSG gene was absent in thirteen out of thirty T. evansi-positive samples.ConclusionsIt is concluded that camel trypanosomiasis in Sudan is apparently caused by a single parasite species T. evansi and there were no other typanosomes species detected. In addition, the disease is highly prevalent in the country, which strengthens the need to change control policies and institute measures that help prevent the spread of the parasite. To our knowledge, this is the first molecular diagnosis report, which gives a picture of camel trypanosomiasis covering large geographical areas in Sudan.
Highlights
Internal transcribed spacer one (ITS1) of the ribosomal DNA is known to be a suitable target for PCRbased detection of trypanosomes
Thereafter, it has been shown that a number of T. evansi in Kenya were not detected by tests based on RoTat 1.2 variable surface glycoprotein (VSG) gene and four of the isolates lacking the RoTat 1.2 VSG gene [19]
polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification was carried out targeting RoTat 1.2 VSG gene on 30 ITS1-positive T. evansi indicated that 13 out of these were negative for RoTat1.2 (Figure 3A and 3B)
Summary
Internal transcribed spacer one (ITS1) of the ribosomal DNA is known to be a suitable target for PCRbased detection of trypanosomes. Thereafter, it has been shown that a number of T. evansi in Kenya were not detected by tests based on RoTat 1.2 VSG gene and four of the isolates lacking the RoTat 1.2 VSG gene [19]. Previous immunological studies which were carried out in Sudan [20,21] would not be able to survey camels for other trypanosome species, and this an advantage of the ITS1-PCR method used here.
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