Study On Trypanosomiasis Among Cattle Reared In Selected Peri-Urban Areas In Oshimili North And South Local Government Areas Of Delta State, Nigeria

Abstract

Prevalence of trypanosomiasis among cattle reared in selected peri-urban areas in Oshimili North and South local government areas of Delta State, Nigeria was studied. Five millimeters of blood samples were collected from jugular vein into bijou bottles and stored in ice packed boxes. The collected bloods samples were quickly transported to the Nigerian Institute for Trypanosomiasis Research Laboratory Asaba, for parasitological analysis. Wet, thin, thick films, haematocrit centrifugation technique and buffy coat methods were used to detect trypanosomes in the Jugular blood of the animals. The Packed Cell Volume (PCV) was also determined. A total of 97 cattle was examined, 37 were from grazing cattle while 60 were from exotic cattle brought from other parts of the country for slaughter. Infection rate for the grazing cattle was 0% while exotic cattle was 3.35. The PCV value of the grazing cattle did not show any significant difference (P=0.05) from those animals at slaughter. Mean PCV of infected cattle 21.33% against uninfected cattle 36.8%. Preliminarily identified as Trypanosoma vivax. Based on the sample size of the animals screened, cattle in the two LGAs appears to be grazing areas that are trypanosomiasis and tsetse fly free. Nevertheless, presence of infection in animals brought in for slaughter predisposes other livestock in the area to risk of animal trypanosomiasis