Prevalence of bovine trypanosomosis in Central Mozambique from 2002 to 2005

E.J.K Specht

doi:10.4102/ojvr.v75i1.91

Abstract

The study is the result of analyzing 16895 blood smears of cattle collected at 180 sites in the provinces of Manica, Sofala, Zambézia and Tete in Mozambique. Of the blood smears 73.9% were from Manica, 11.8% from Tete, 8.5% from Sofala and 5.8% from Zambézia; 75.6% of these were collected from smallholder cattle. Infections with trypanosomes were highest in smallholder cattle from Sofala Province with 36.8% of the 872 blood smears examined positive for trypanosomes, and lowest in cattle of commercial farmers in Manica Province with only 6.2% of 2252 blood smears being positive. Trypanosoma congolense was the predominant species, followed by Trypanosoma vivax and Trypanosoma brucei sensu lato. Trypanosoma brucei, which also infects humans, was more frequent in the districts of Buzi, Mutarara and Morrumbala with 15.1%, 10.5% and 9.8% of all examined cattle in 2005 being infected with it, respectively. The results show a significant increase in the infection rate with trypanosomes compared with results obtained in previous years by the Regional Veterinary Laboratory in Manica Province and by the Regional Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Control Programme in Zambézia, Tete and Sofala provinces.

Highlights

Infections with trypanosomes represent one of the major constraints for cattle production in Mozambique because approximately two thirds of the country is infested by its vector, Glossina spp. (Pires 1952, Regional Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Control Programme 2000)
This Regional Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Control Programme (RTTCP) conducted a survey in 46 districts of the ten provinces between May 1995 and February 2000 to update the information about distribution of bovine trypanosomosis in Mozambique
The purpose of this paper is to provide information pertaining to the distribution of bovine trypanosomosis in 23 districts of the provinces of Manica, Sofala, Zambézia and Tete that will assist the veterinary authority in the effort to fight the disease

Summary

Introduction

Infections with trypanosomes represent one of the major constraints for cattle production in Mozambique because approximately two thirds of the country is infested by its vector, Glossina spp. (Pires 1952, Regional Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Control Programme 2000). During the colonial period cattle husbandry was absent in large areas in central and northern Mozambique (Pires 1952). These areas are part of the “common fly belt”, which extends over some 320 000 km in Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. In 1985 a 15-year programme for tsetse fly and trypanosomosis control was proposed for the “common fly belt” (Jordan 1985) This Regional Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Control Programme (RTTCP) conducted a survey in 46 districts of the ten provinces between May 1995 and February 2000 to update the information about distribution of bovine trypanosomosis in Mozambique. The Regional Veterinary Laboratory (LRV) in Chimoio carried out several surveys on trypanosomosis in smallholder cattle in the Manica district of Manica Province (Specht 1999a, 2001, 2003)

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Conclusion