Prevalence of mixed Trypanosoma congolense infections in livestock and tsetse in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Abstract

Trypanosoma congolense causes the most economically important animal trypanosomosis in Africa. In South Africa, a rinderpest pandemic of the 1890s removed many host animals, resulting in the near-eradication of most tsetse species. Further suppression was achieved through spraying with dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT); however, residual populations of Glossina austeni and G. brevipalpis remained in isolated pockets. A total of 506 of these tsetse flies were captured in the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, the St Lucia Wetland Park and Boomerang commercial farm. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to determine the infection rate and frequency of mixed infections of these flies. Additionally, 473 blood samples were collected from cattle at communal diptanks and a commercial farm in the area and each one examined by the haematocrit centrifugation technique (HCT). Furthermore, buffy coats from these blood samples were spotted onto FTA Elute cards and the DNA extracted from each one tested using 3 separate PCRs. The HCT revealed the presence of trypanosomes in only 6.6 % of the blood samples; by contrast, species-specific PCR detected trypanosome DNA in 50 % of the samples. The species-specific PCR detected trypanosome DNA in 17 % of the tsetse flies, compared with the nested PCR targeting rDNA which detected trypanosome DNA in only 14 % of the samples. Over time, the transmission of Savannah-type T. congolense and Kilifi-type T. congolense as mixed infections could have an impact on disease manifestation in different hosts in the area

Virulence of <i>Trypanosoma congolense</i> strains isolated from cattle and African buffaloes (<i>Syncerus caffer</i>) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

“…The possibility therefore exists that some LVS, including Kilifi infections, may have been missed. The current results indicating low prevalence of Kilifi strains are in agreement with recent reports by Mamabolo et al (2009) and Gillingwater et al (2010). In both studies, 0.8% and 16.0% of mixed infections with Savannah and Kilifi were reported.…”

“…In South Africa, animal trypanosomosis is restricted to the north-eastern parts of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Province. Pathogenic trypanosomes infecting cattle in KZN are Trypanosoma congolense and T. vivax (Gillingwater, Mamabolo & Majiwa 2010;Mamabolo et al 2009; Van den Bossche et al 2006). Trypanosoma congolense is considered the most pathogenic trypanosome species infecting livestock with great variation in its virulence (Bengaly et al 2002).…”

“…Variation in pathogenicity of T. congolense Savannah sub-group is ascribed to strain differences (Masumu et al 2006; Van den Bossche et al 2011). In South Africa, Savannah sub-group is more prevalent and thought to be responsible for occasional disease outbreaks in north-eastern KZN (Gillingwater et al 2010;Mamabolo et al 2009). …”

A TeGM6-4r antigen-based immunochromatographic test (ICT) for animal trypanosomosis

“…Moreover, microscopic examination of the buffy coat detected five samples that were positive for both T. congolense and T. vivax. This result is consistent with other reports which indicate that co-infection of animal trypanosomosis is present in African cattle (Gillingwater et al 2010;Laohasinnarong et al 2011). Since the therapeutic treatment for different animal trypanosomosis are quite similar, the TeGM6-4r/ICT, which can detect several pathogenic trypanosomes, represents a good choice of test.…”

Molecular surveillance of Theileria parasites of livestock in Oman

“…Additionally, it has been reported that T. annulata mixed infection of these two species were detected at a lower prevalence of 6.6% than 325 single species infections (Rashidi and Razmi, 2013). Mixed species infection is a 326 common feature of protozoan and rickettsial pathogens in nature, including, Theileria (Rashidi and Razmi, 2013), Babesia (Aktas and Ozubek, 2015), Plasmodium (Cantas 328 et al, 2013), Trypanosoma (Gillingwater et al, 2010) and Anaplasma (Aktas et al,329 2011; Aktas and Özübek, 2015 (Leemans et al, 1999) and T. annulata can protect against the major clinical 333 effects of T. lestoquardi infection (Leemans et al, 1999). Moreover a recent study has 334 suggested that the pathological effect of T. parva is mitigated by the presence of less 335 pathogenic Theileria spp.…”