Prevalence of trypanosomosis in small ruminants of Guto Gidda district, East Wellega zone, western Ethiopia

A cross sectional study was conducted in Anger river valley and its tributaries from November to April 2008 to determine the prevalence of trypanosomosis in small ruminants. Blood samples were collected from 379 randomly selected local sheep (145) and goats (234) of different sex, age and body condition in five peasant associations. The collected samples were examined by haematological and parasitological techniques. Of the total small ruminants examined during the study period, 8 animals (2.11%) were infected with trypanosomes, of which 4 (2.76%) were sheep and 4 (1.70%) goats. Most of the infections were due to T. congolense (1.37%, 0.42%) and T. vivax (1.37%, 1.28%) in sheep and goats respectively. There was no statistical significance difference (P>0.05) between species, sex, age and body conditions. The difference in mean PCV of parasitaemic (24.13%) and aparasitaemic (25.1%) animals was not significant (P>0.05). Tsetse flies of riverine species or palpalis group (Glossina tachinoides) and mechanical vectors of the disease such as tabanus, stomoxys and haematopota were captured during entomological study. The overall apparent densities of tsetse and biting flies were 10.5 and 14.31 flies/trap/day respectively. The difference in overall fly count among peasant associations was significant (P<0.05). The study revealed that trypanosomosis in small ruminants are an important disease that serves as potential reservoir for the transmission to other livestock. Although the present study revealed low prevalence (2.11%) trypanosomosis in small ruminant of the study area its impact on production and potential transmission to other livestock should not be neglected.