Browsing by Author "Andualem Yimer"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Assessment of Prevalence and Host-Related Risk Factors of Camel Trypanosomosis in Selected Districts of Afar Pastoral Area, North East Etihiopla
    (Addis Ababa University, 2012-06-01) Andualem Yimer; Fikru Regassa
    A cross-sectional study was conducted in two districts of Afar region eastern Ethiopia from November 2011 to April 2012 to estimate the prevalence and host- related risk factors for camel trypanosomosis. Accordingly, blood samples were collected from randomly selected 400 camels and examined for parasite detection by Giemsa stained thin blood smear, presence of agglutinating antibodies against T. evansi using card agglutination test for trypanosomosis (CA TT/T. evansi) and ITS-1 PCR test. The overall prevalence of 2 %, 24 %, and 30.5 % using thin blood smear examination, CATT/T. evansi and ITS's-1PCR tests, respectively were recorded. T. evansi (20%) was found to be the prominent trypanosome affecting camels followed by T. vivax (7.5%) as detected by ITS-1 PCR in the study districtes. Pregnant camels (OR= 2.74, CI: 1.37- 5.50) and lactating camels (OR= 2.6, CI: 1.34-5.06) were 2.7 and 2.6 times more likely to be infected with trypanosomes compared to non pregnant and non lactating camels, respectively. While camels with poor body condition OR of 2.96 (CI: 1.55- 5.67) were three times more likely to be infected compared to camels with moderate body condition. PCR detected infections in 114 (29%) camels out of 392 camels which were negative based on the parasitological method. Consequently, PCR technique is more sensitive method for diagnosis of trypanosome infected camels than parasitological techniques, and can detect low parasitemic camels in chronic cases. From the results of the present study it can be inferred that camel trypanosomosis is endemic in Chifra and Dewe districts of Afar region, Ethiopia where it demands further study on identification of the principal vector species responsible for transmission and appropriate control and preventive measure should be applied to circumvent the impact of camel trypanosomosis in the surveyed districts