Preliminary study on potential mechanical vectors of animal trypanosomes in the Far North region of Cameroon

Pierre Fongho Suh,Flobert Njiokou,Abdoulmoumini Mamoudou,Rebecca Garabed,Mouhaman Arabi,Ahmadou Tidjani Malam

doi:10.19182/remvt.31782

Abstract

An entomological study was carried out in the Far North region of Cameroon – historically known focus for animal trypanosomosis and declared tsetse free in the late 1970s – to determine the potential mechanical vectors for trypanosomes and their spatial preference in this region. Thirty-one Nzi traps were installed at 6:30–8:00 a.m. in Goulfey, Madiako canton and Darack karena in Logone and Chari Division, as well as in Guidiguis, Kalfou and Maga-Guirvidig in two other divisions. They were visited after 10–11 hours of exposition. The sampling lasted one day. A total of 20,084 hematophagous flies (865 Stomoxys and 19,219 tabanids) were collected. Stomoxys niger was the only Stomoxyinae species caught, whereas five species of tabanids were collected: Atylotus agrestis, A. albipalpus, A. fuscipes, Tabanus taeniola and T. biguttatus. A. agrestis was by far the most prevalent species (92.7%), followed by T. taeniola (7.1%). The apparent densities of 50.1, 409.4 and 1499.0 tabanids per trap per day in Guidiguis, Goulfey and Madiako canton, respectively, were significantly different (p = 0.0002). Tabanids were more abundant in campsites than in pastures and water points. Atylotus agrestis seemed to be the major potential mechanical vector of trypanosomes in the area.

Highlights

The Far North region of Cameroon is a Sudano-Sahelian zone and one of the most important for animal husbandry in Lake Chad Basin, with a cattle population estimated at 2.1 million and a small stock population estimated at 2.8 million (Ziébé et al, 2005)
The historical tsetse-infested foci retained for this study were Goulfey and Madiako canton, respectively located northward and southward to Kosseri, chief town of Logone and Chari Division
Hematophagous insects trapped in the zone belonged to Tabanidae and Muscidae

Summary

Introduction

The Far North region of Cameroon is a Sudano-Sahelian zone and one of the most important for animal husbandry in Lake Chad Basin, with a cattle population estimated at 2.1 million and a small stock population estimated at 2.8 million (Ziébé et al, 2005). Disease surveillance in this region covering over 34,000 square kilometers is. 2. Saint-Jerome School of Health Sciences, Saint-Jerome Catholic University, Institute of Douala, Douala, Cameroon. 4. Department of Parasitology and Parasitological Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Ngaoundere, Cameroon.

Methods

Results

Conclusion