Prevalence and incidence of trypanosomosis in horses and donkeys in the Gambia.
Abstract: In a study of the prevalence and incidence of trypanosomosis in horses and donkeys in two regions of the Gambia, surveys were carried out at Niamina east and Bansang south with a high and low to moderate tsetse challenge, respectively. Eleven horses and 67 donkeys were sampled monthly from August 1997 to September 1998. Blood samples were examined for trypanosomes using the buffy-coat (BC) method and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Three primer sets were used, specific for either Trypanosoma vivax (TVW), Trypanosoma congolense (GOL) or Trypanosoma brucei (ORPHON5J). The BC results showed that the prevalence (August 1997) and the average monthly incidence (September 1997-1998) of trypanosome infections in horses (45.5 and 16%, respectively) were significantly higher than in donkeys (6.2 and 9%, respectively). Using PCR, the number of detected cases was seven times higher than using the BC. T. congolense was the most frequently observed species, followed by T. vivax and T. brucei. This study confirms earlier observations by other authors that donkeys, which are exposed to a similar tsetse challenge as horses, are significantly less infected with trypanosomes than the latter.
Publication Date: 2001-10-06 PubMed ID: 11587839DOI: 10.1016/s0304-4017(01)00503-9Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Blood Analysis
- Clinical Study
- Comparative Study
- Diagnosis
- Diagnostic Technique
- Disease Diagnosis
- Disease Management
- Disease Prevalence
- Disease Surveillance
- Disease Treatment
- Epidemiology
- Equine Health
- Horses
- Infection
- Infectious Disease
- Parasites
- Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Public Health
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Research
Summary
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The research article presents a study investigating the prevalence and occurrence of trypanosomosis, a parasitic disease, in horses and donkeys from two different regions in the Gambia.
Objective
The primary goal of this research was to understand the prevalence (how widespread) and incidence (the number of new cases) of trypanosomosis, a disease caused by parasites named trypanosomes, in horses and donkeys from two regions, Niamina East and Bansang South in the Gambia. The regions were chosen based on known varying levels of exposure to the tsetse fly, the insect vector transmitting these parasites.
Methodology
- A total of 78 animals – 11 horses and 67 donkeys – were examined monthly from August 1997 to September 1998.
- For tests, blood samples from these animals were gathered and checked for trypanosomes using two methods: the buffy-coat (BC) method, a laboratory technique for detecting the parasites, and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), a technique used to amplify specific DNA fragments for detecting the presence of certain species of the trypanosome parasites.
- Three different sets of primers were used in PCR to detect different species of Trypanosoma – vivax (TVW), congolense (GOL), or brucei (ORPHON5J).
Findings
- The results indicated that horses had a higher prevalence (45.5%) and monthly incidence (16%) of trypanosome infections compared to donkeys (6.2% and 9%, respectively) according to the BC method.
- The PCR method yielded a higher number of detected cases, specifically seven times more than the BC method.
- Among the trypanosome species, Trypanosoma congolense was the most common, followed by Trypanosoma vivax and Trypanosoma brucei.
Conclusion
The findings from this study confirm that, despite facing similar exposure to the tsetse vector as horses, donkeys are significantly less susceptible to trypanosomosis. This reinforces earlier research findings and contributes to a better understanding of the disease dynamics in these specific animal populations that could influence strategies for disease management and control.
Cite This Article
APA
Faye D, Pereira de Almeida PJ, Goossens B, Osaer S, Ndao M, Berkvens D, Speybroeck N, Nieberding F, Geerts S.
(2001).
Prevalence and incidence of trypanosomosis in horses and donkeys in the Gambia.
Vet Parasitol, 101(2), 101-114.
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0304-4017(01)00503-9 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- International Trypanotolerance Centre, PMB 14, Banjul, The Gambia. dethie.faye@itc.gm
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- DNA, Protozoan / analysis
- Equidae / parasitology
- Gambia / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / blood
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horses
- Incidence
- Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
- Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
- Prevalence
- Sensitivity and Specificity
- Seroepidemiologic Studies
- Trypanosoma / genetics
- Trypanosoma / isolation & purification
- Trypanosomiasis / diagnosis
- Trypanosomiasis / epidemiology
- Trypanosomiasis / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 18 times.- Morrison LJ, Steketee PC, Tettey MD, Matthews KR. Pathogenicity and virulence of African trypanosomes: From laboratory models to clinically relevant hosts.. Virulence 2023 Dec;14(1):2150445.
- Kargbo A, Ebiloma GU, Ibrahim YKE, Chechet GD, Jeng M, Balogun EO. Epizootiology and Molecular Identification of Trypanosome Species in Livestock Ruminants in the Gambia.. Acta Parasitol 2022 Mar;67(1):130-142.
- Gummery L, Jallow S, Raftery AG, Bennet E, Rodgers J, Sutton DGM. Comparison of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and PCR for the diagnosis of infection with Trypanosoma brucei ssp. in equids in The Gambia.. PLoS One 2020;15(8):e0237187.
- Vourchakbé J, Tiofack AAZ, Mbida M, Simo G. Trypanosome infections in naturally infected horses and donkeys of three active sleeping sickness foci in the south of Chad.. Parasit Vectors 2020 Jun 23;13(1):323.
- Raftery AG, Jallow S, Coultous RM, Rodgers J, Sutton DGM. Variation in disease phenotype is marked in equine trypanosomiasis.. Parasit Vectors 2020 Mar 21;13(1):148.
- Büscher P, Gonzatti MI, Hébert L, Inoue N, Pascucci I, Schnaufer A, Suganuma K, Touratier L, Van Reet N. Equine trypanosomosis: enigmas and diagnostic challenges.. Parasit Vectors 2019 May 15;12(1):234.
- Raftery AG, Jallow S, Rodgers J, Sutton DGM. Safety and efficacy of three trypanocides in confirmed field cases of trypanosomiasis in working equines in The Gambia: a prospective, randomised, non-inferiority trial.. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019 Mar;13(3):e0007175.
- Alanazi AD, Puschendorf R, Salim B, Alyousif MS, Alanazi IO, Al-Shehri HR. Molecular detection of equine trypanosomiasis in the Riyadh Province of Saudi Arabia.. J Vet Diagn Invest 2018 Nov;30(6):942-945.
- Sabir N, Chaudhry ZI, Aslam A, Muhammad K, Shahid M, Hussain A, Khan SA, Ahmad I. A study on prevalence and molecular characterization of trypanosomal species infecting equines in Lahore region, Pakistan.. J Parasit Dis 2018 Mar;42(1):96-101.
- Muhanguzi D, Mugenyi A, Bigirwa G, Kamusiime M, Kitibwa A, Akurut GG, Ochwo S, Amanyire W, Okech SG, Hattendorf J, Tweyongyere R. African animal trypanosomiasis as a constraint to livestock health and production in Karamoja region: a detailed qualitative and quantitative assessment.. BMC Vet Res 2017 Nov 25;13(1):355.
- Gimonneau G, Alioum Y, Abdoulmoumini M, Zoli A, Cene B, Adakal H, Bouyer J. Insecticide and Repellent Mixture Pour-On Protects Cattle against Animal Trypanosomosis.. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016 Dec;10(12):e0005248.
- Rodrigues CM, Batista JS, Lima JM, Freitas FJ, Barros IO, Garcia HA, Rodrigues AC, Camargo EP, Teixeira MM. Field and experimental symptomless infections support wandering donkeys as healthy carriers of Trypanosoma vivax in the Brazilian Semiarid, a region of outbreaks of high mortality in cattle and sheep.. Parasit Vectors 2015 Oct 28;8:564.
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