Impact of Trypanosomosis on Food Security in Nigeria: A Review

Abstract: The aims of these review is to further highlight the direct and indirect impact of trypanosomiasis on food security in Nigeria. The direct impact on livestock productivity, include reduce meat and milk off take, calving rate, increase in calf mortality, decreases both lamping and kidding rates in sheep, goat and increase in cost of live stock management. Indirect impact of trypanosomosis include decrease crop production, decrease traction power, reduces work efficiency of both man and animals. The economic contribution of crop and animal production in ensuring food security in Nigeria is indispensable. Livestock production constitutes an important component of Nigeria agricultural development; animal protein raw materials for agro allied based industries. In conclusion, the potential for increasing livestock production can only be fully realized if the animals are adequately protected against the adverse effects of periodic stresses and diseases. Profitability of animal product demand efficient husbandry of animals, as disease remains a profit limitation factor in many tropical countries. For sufficient livestock production to be fully realized to meet the growing population of Nigeria, integrated approach to trypanosomiasis control is required to increase the present level of livestock production

Serum biochemical parameters and cytokine profiles associated with natural African trypanosome infections in cattle.

BACKGROUND: Animal African trypanosomiasis (AAT) greatly affects livestock production in sub-Saharan Africa. In Ghana prevalence of AAT is estimated to range between 5 and 50%. Studies have reported serum biochemical aberrations and variability in cytokine profiles in animals during infection. However, information regarding the biochemical parameters and cytokine profiles associated with natural infections are limited. This study was therefore aimed at investigating changes in the levels of serum biochemical parameters and inflammatory cytokines during a natural infection. METHODS: Nested internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-based PCR and sequencing were used to characterise trypanosome infection in cattle at two areas in Ghana (Adidome and Accra) of different endemicities. The cattle were sampled at four to five-week intervals over a period of six months. Levels of serum biochemical parameters, including creatinine, cholesterol, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total bilirubin and total protein and cytokines (interleukin 10, interleukin 4, interleukin 12, interferon gamma and tumor necrosis factor alpha) were measured in serum samples and then compared between infected cattle and uninfected controls. RESULTS: The predominant trypanosome species detected in Accra (non-endemic) and Adidome (endemic) were Trypanosoma theileri and Trypanosoma vivax, respectively. Serum biochemical parameters were similar between infected and uninfected cattle in Accra. Infected cattle at Adidome however, had significantly higher levels of ALP, creatinine, total protein and total bilirubin (P < 0.05) and significantly lower levels of cholesterol (P < 0.05) at specific time points. At basal levels and during infection, significantly higher pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory (Th1/Th2) cytokine ratios were observed in cattle at Adidome compared to Accra (P < 0.05), indicating a shift towards Th1 immune response in Adidome. Levels of IL-10 were, however, significantly elevated in infected cattle in Accra (P < 0.05), suggesting high anti-inflammatory cytokine response in Accra. CONCLUSION: These results suggests that cattle in an endemic area repeatedly infected with trypanosomes of different species or different antigenic types demonstrate high pro-inflammatory (Th1) immune response and biochemical alterations whereas cattle in a non-endemic area with predominantly chronic T. theileri infections demonstrate high anti-inflammatory response and no biochemical alterations

Implicating roles of animal reservoir hosts in the resurgence of Gambian trypanosomosis (Sleeping Sickness)

Gambian trypanosomosis   (Sleeping Sickness) is a complex and debilitating disease of man. For many years the disease has been ravaging in several parts of sub-saharan Africa despite decades of therapeutic control. Although animal reservoir hosts are believed to be associated with the disease, not much evidences have been established to prove the true existence of animal reservoir hosts for Trypanosoma brucei gambiense   and the zoonotic nature of Gambian Sleeping Sickness. This paper reviews recent evidences based on molecular and other biotechnologies leading to the identification of mammalian hosts as reservoirs of T. b. gambiense and the roles of such hosts in transmission and resurgence of sleeping sickness in sub-Saharan Africa

Trypanosomosis in hunting dogs in kaduna, north central Nigeria: implications on the disease in humans

A parasitological survey of hunting dogs during the month of August, peak of rainy season, was carried out in Kaduna, North Central Nigeria using the standard trypanosome detection techniques and concentration methods. This was with the view of assessing the socio-economic importance and public health implications of canine trypanosomosis in the area. About 3mls of cephalic blood was collected into Bijou bottles containing ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) as anticoagulant. Identification of trypanosome, was done using Giemsa stained films. The over all infection rate in the hunting dogs was 17.39%. The infection due to trypanosome brucei (75%) was higher compared to infection due to T. congolense (25%), while the packed cell volume of infected dogs was significantly (P&#8804;0.05) lower than that of parasitogically negative ones. The study confirms the resurgence of canine trypanosomosis in Nigeria and the roles of dogs as reservoir hosts for hunting infective T. brucei gambiense in the area. It was concluded that hunting occupation predisposes to human trypanosomosis in Nigeria. Keywords: Hunting dogs, Trypanosomosis, infection rate, Nigeria. Journal of Biomedical Investigation Vol. 4 (1) 2006: pp. 15-1

Prevalence of trypanosomosis in trade cattle at slaughter in Kaduna, Nigeria

No Abstract. The Nigerian Journal of Parasitology Vol. 23(1) 2002: 107-11