Trypanosome Infection Rate in Glossina pallidipes and Glossina fuscipes fuscipes in Gojeb Valley, Southwest Ethiopia

Abstract

A study was carried out to determine the infection rates of trypanosomes in Glossina pallidipes and Glossina fuscipes fuscipes fly species in Gojeb valley of Ghibe - Omo river system at Shebe Sombo woreda, Southwest of Ethiopia. Tsetse flies were traped, dissected and their organs (proboscis, salivary glands and mid-gut) were microscopically examined. A total of 384 tsetse flies were randomly selected and dissected. 200(52%) of them were G. pallidipes and 184(48%) were G. fuscipes fuscipes. Out of the dissected flies, 49 (24.5%) G. pallidipes and 42 (22.8%) G. fuscipes fuscipes were positive for trypanosomes. However, the difference is not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Out of 200 dissected G. pallidipes flies 33(16.5%), 15 (7.5%) and 1(0.5%) were infected by T. vivax, T. congolense and T. brucei respectively. On the other hand, out of 184 dissected G. fuscipes fuscipes flies 27(14.7%) were infected by T. vivax and 15 (8.2%) were infected by T. congolense. The study showed that, infection rate of T. vivax is higher in both species of tsetse flies than with T.congolense. There was a statistically significant difference (P<0.05) in trypanosome infection rates between male and female G. pallidipes fly species. Infection rates in male and female G. pallidipes and male and female G. fuscipes fuscipes were18.35%, 31.87%, 21.43% and 24% respectively. Finally a few points of recommendations were forwarded to alleviate the problem