Bovine trypanosomosis and its vectors in two districts of Bench Maji zone, South Western Ethiopia.

A cross-sectional study was carried out from November 2008 to February 2009 in Guraferda and Sheko districts of Bench Maji Zone, South Western Ethiopia. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of bovine trypanosomosis and the density of its vectors. An overall prevalence of trypanosome infection in the study area was 4.4%. Trypanosoma congolense (36.36%) was the dominant trypanosome species followed by Trypanosoma vivax (18.18%) and Trypanosoma brucei (9.09%). Mean packed cell volume value of parasitemic animals (21.8%) was significantly (P<0.05) lower than that of aparasitemic animals (27.7%). Biconical and NGU traps were deployed for 72 h, and the result indicated Glossina pallidipes followed by Glossina fuscipes as the only tsetse fly species caught in the study area along with other biting flies like Stomoxys and Tabanus. The apparent density of tsetse flies was 2.83 flies trap(-1) day(-1). NGU trap caught more of G. pallidipes while biconical trap caught more G. fuscipes, and the difference was significant (P<0.05). Although the current study indicated low prevalence of trypanosomosis in the study area, the impacts of trypanosomosis on cattle production and productivity should not be neglected. Therefore, attention should be given to control the disease and also the vector.