Abstract
No sleeping sickness or nagana cases have been reported in Botswana since 1985. In view of several confirmed clinical cases of nagana and reports of heavy bovine mortality, a parasitological survey was conducted to determine the prevalence of trypanosome infection in cattle in Maun and Shakawe areas of Ngamiland district. Wet blood films, buffy coat and Giemsa-stained thick and thin blood smears were used to detect trypanosomes in animals. Overall,trypanosome infection rate was 15.98%, with 5.94% and 27.29% in Maun and Shakawe respectively. The urgent need to combat trypanosomosis in Ngamiland, particularly in the Shakawe area, is highlighted, and a 3-phase integrated tsetse control strategy for this disease problem is discussed.
Highlights
No sleeping sickness or nagana cases have been reported in Botswana since 1985
The disease is transmitted between animals mainly by blood-sucking tsetse flies (Glossina morsitans centralis), which are confined to the Okavango Delta and the associated Kwando/Linyati River system in the Ngamiland and Chobe districts of Botswana
A parasitological survey was conducted from April to June 2000 in the Ngamiland district as a result of farmers’ complaints of cattle deaths and the diagnosis of trypanosomosis in parts of the district
Summary
No sleeping sickness or nagana cases have been reported in Botswana since 1985. In view of several confirmed clinical cases of nagana and reports of heavy bovine mortality, a parasitological survey was conducted to determine the prevalence of trypanosome infection in cattle in Maun and Shakawe areas of Ngamiland district. A survey was conducted to determine the prevalence of trypanosomosis in animals, aNational Veterinary Laboratory, Private Bag 0035, Gaborone, Botswana. BTsetse Control Division, Department of Animal Health and Production, Private Bag 0014, Maun, Botswana.
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