Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Zaria, Nigeria.
Africa Centre of Excellence for Neglected Tropical Diseases and Forensic Biotechnology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.
Parasit Vectors. 2021 Oct 29;14(1):560. doi: 10.1186/s13071-021-05054-0.
Trypanosomiasis is a fatal disease that threatens the economy of at least 37 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly with regard to livestock farming. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of trypanosome infection in cattle, and molecularly identified the species of trypanosomes in infected cattle and the spatial distribution of trypanosome-infected herds along the Jebba axis of the River Niger.
A randomized cross-sectional study was conducted along the Jebba axis of the River Niger by screening cattle from 36 herd clusters by nested PCR using ITS-1 generic primers. Data generated were analysed using the Chi-square test at a 95% confidence interval.
Microscopic examination revealed three infected cattle out of 398 examined, representing 0.8% prevalence. Twelve animals (3.0%) were positive by PCR. Our results showed a decline in the packed cell volume of infected animals (24.7%). The infection rates were categorized as single infection in 11/12 (91.7%) and mixed infection in 1/12 (8.3%). Animals were most frequently infected by Trypanosoma congolense (50.0%), with T. congolense Savannah being the most prevalent subspecies (71.4%). Aside from the infection rate by age (10.0%) and relative distance of animals from the River Niger (56.2%), statistical differences in every other parameter tested were based on mere probabilistic chance. Spatial data showed that the disease was prevalent among herds located less than 3 km from the River Niger.
Six species of trypanosomes were identified in cattle herds along the Jebba axis of the River Niger, with T. congolense being the most prevalent. Age and relative distance of herds from the River Niger may be risk factors for trypanosome infection in cattle herds in this area.
锥虫病是一种致命疾病，威胁着撒哈拉以南非洲至少 37 个国家的经济，尤其是畜牧业。在本研究中，我们调查了牛感染锥虫的流行情况，并通过巢式 PCR 用 ITS-1 通用引物对感染牛中的锥虫种类和沿尼日尔河杰巴轴的感染牛群的空间分布进行了分子鉴定。
沿尼日尔河杰巴轴进行了随机横断面研究，通过巢式 PCR 用 ITS-1 通用引物对 36 个畜群簇的牛进行筛查。使用 95%置信区间的卡方检验分析生成的数据。
显微镜检查显示，在 398 头受检牛中，有 3 头受感染，感染率为 0.8%。12 头动物（3.0%）PCR 阳性。我们的结果显示，感染动物的红细胞压积下降（24.7%）。感染率分类为 11/12（91.7%）为单感染和 1/12（8.3%）为混合感染。动物最常感染的是冈比亚锥虫（50.0%），其中冈比亚锥虫萨凡纳亚种最为流行（71.4%）。除了按年龄（10.0%）和动物与尼日尔河的相对距离（56.2%）的感染率外，其他每个参数的统计差异都只是基于概率上的可能性。空间数据显示，该病在距离尼日尔河不到 3 公里的畜群中流行。
在尼日尔河杰巴轴沿线的牛群中鉴定出了 6 种锥虫，其中冈比亚锥虫最为流行。牛群的年龄和与尼日尔河的相对距离可能是该地区牛群感染锥虫的危险因素。
