Role Of Domestic Animals In The Epidemiology Of Human African Trypanosomiasis (Hat) In Kigoma –Tanzania

ABSTRACT

Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) is fatal if untreated and causes severe morbidity.

In Tanzania HAT is caused by Trypanosoma b. rhodesiense. Trypanosomiasis in livestock

is the major impediment to livestock farming and it limits the full potential of agricultural

development in Tanzania. This study was undertaken in Kasulu district of Kigoma region,

an area that is endemic for both human and animal trypanosomiasis. This study aimed to

determine the prevalence of trypanosomiasis in domestic animals and the potential of these

domestic animals as reservoirs of human infective trypanosomes. This study was

undertaken in four villages namely Kagerankanda, Mvinza, Makere and Mvugwe. Eleven

cattle samples (11%) of the 100 cattle sampled in the four villages were detected as

positive by PCR using the ITS1 primers that identify trypanosomes to the level of species

and subspecies. These were recognized as six Trypanosoma vivax (4%) and five

Trypanosoma congolense forest type (3.33%). Cattle were more susceptible to

trypanosome infection compared to other domestic animals like goats and dogs, because

trypanosomes were not detected in these two species of domestic animals. Since

Trypanosoma brucei species was not detected in this study, these results suggested that

domestic animals that are kept in the study area do not harbour human infective

trypanosomes and trypanosomiasis is prevalent in cattle.

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