Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Kampala International University-Western Campus, P.O. Box 71 Bushenyi, Uganda.
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Division of Biomedical Sciences, Kabale University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 315 Kabale, Uganda.
Biomed Res Int. 2021 Jun 14;2021:7284042. doi: 10.1155/2021/7284042. eCollection 2021.
Trypanosomes are the causative agents of animal African trypanosomiasis (AAT) and human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), the former affecting domestic animals prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa. The main species causing AAT in cattle are , , and . Northern Uganda has been politically unstable with no form of vector control in place. The return of displaced inhabitants led to the restocking of cattle from AAT endemic areas. It was thus important to estimate the burden of trypanosomiasis in the region. This study was designed to compare the prevalence of animal African trypanosomes in cattle in Lira District using microscopy and polymerase chain reaction amplification (PCR) methods. In this cross-sectional study, a total of 254 cattle from the three villages of Acanakwo A, Barropok, and Acungkena in Lira District, Uganda, were selected by simple random sampling technique and screened for trypanosomiasis using microscopy and PCR methods. The prevalence of trypanosomiasis according to microscopic results was 5/254 (2.0%) as compared to 11/254 (4.3%) trypanosomiasis prevalence according to PCR analysis. The prevalence of trypanosomiasis infection in the animal studied is 11/254 (4.3%). was the most dominant trypanosome species with a proportion of 9/11 (81.8%), followed by 1/11 (9.1%) and mixed infection of /1/11 (9.1%). Barropok village had the highest prevalence of trypanosomiasis with 6/11 (54.5%). There is a statistically significant relationship (OR = 6.041; 95% CI: 1.634-22.331; < 0.05) between abnormal PCV and trypanosome infection. Polymerase reaction amplification was the most reliable diagnostic method due to its high sensitivity and specificity as compared to the conventional microscopic method. Polymerase reaction amplification appears to have adequate accuracy to substitute the use of a microscope where facilities allow. This study, therefore, underscores the urgent need for local surveillance schemes more especially at the grassroots in Uganda to provide data for reference guideline development needed for the control of trypanosomiasis in Uganda.
锥虫是动物非洲锥虫病（AAT）和人类非洲锥虫病（HAT）的病原体，前者影响撒哈拉以南非洲流行的家畜。引起 AAT 的主要牛种是 、 和 。乌干达北部政治不稳定，没有任何形式的病媒控制。流离失所者的回归导致从 AAT 流行地区重新饲养牛。因此，估计该地区锥虫病的负担非常重要。本研究旨在使用显微镜和聚合酶链反应扩增（PCR）方法比较利拉区牛的动物非洲锥虫流行率。在这项横断面研究中，通过简单随机抽样技术从乌干达利拉区的 Acanakwo A、Barropok 和 Acungkena 三个村庄共选择了 254 头牛，并用显微镜和 PCR 方法筛查锥虫病。根据显微镜结果，锥虫病的患病率为 5/254（2.0%），而根据 PCR 分析，锥虫病的患病率为 11/254（4.3%）。研究动物的锥虫病感染率为 11/254（4.3%）。 是最主要的锥虫种，占 9/11（81.8%），其次是 1/11（9.1%）和混合感染 /1/11（9.1%）。Barropok 村的锥虫病患病率最高，为 6/11（54.5%）。异常 PCV 与锥虫感染之间存在统计学显著关系（OR = 6.041；95%CI：1.634-22.331； < 0.05）。与传统显微镜法相比，聚合酶反应扩增是最可靠的诊断方法，因为其灵敏度和特异性较高。聚合酶反应扩增似乎具有足够的准确性，可以替代设施允许的显微镜使用。因此，本研究强调迫切需要在乌干达基层制定地方监测计划，为乌干达锥虫病控制所需的参考指南制定提供数据。
