Bovine Trypanosomiasis Prevalence, Farmer’s Perception, Apparent Vector Density and Associated Risk Factors in Dembecha District of Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Abstract

Abstract Trypanosomiases play a great role in reduction of animal’s production and affect animal and human settlement worldwide. A cross-sectional study design was conducted in Dembecha district, Ethiopia from 2019 to 2020 to study bovine trypanosomiasis prevalence, the prevalence of bovine trypanosomosis, farmer’s perception, and fly vector density and associated risk factors. Blood samples were taken from 528 bovine randomly and evaluated. In addition, questionnaire surveillance was conducted to determine the farmer perception on the disease through 100 interviewed farmers. The overall disease prevalence was 5.49% (n = 29/528). The infection was mainly caused by Trypanosome congolense, 69% (n = 20) and Trypanosome vivax 31% (n = 9), which was significant difference (P = 0.00). When compared to different categories, greater results were registered in poor body condition and black and related color with significant difference. In kebeles (p = 0.78), sex (p = 0.43) and age groups (p = 0.16), there was no significance difference identified. The infected cattle mean packed cell volume (19.20 ± 2.91) was lowered than negative animals (25.88 ± 3.82) with significant difference (P = 0.00). The overall apparent density of flies was 1233 (2.34 f/t/d), Out of these 59.4% belong to the genus Glossina and the remaining is shared by two genera namely Stomoxy and Tabanus. The apparent density of Glossina, Stomoxy and Tabanus were 1.43f/t/d, 0.5f/t/d and 0.46 f/t/d respectively were caught, identified and estimated. Higher proportion of fly vectors were identified in lowland areas, riverine vegetation type and wet/rainy season as compared to other areas, vegetation type and season factors. Prevalence of the disease in age and sex categories were had no statistical difference.