Abstract

A cross-sectional study was carried out from November 2023 to April 2024 in Demba Gofa Wereda, Gofa zone, southern Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess the current prevalence of the disease in the woreda. The study also aimed to assess the distribution, abundance, and identification of tsetse flies and other biting flies in the area. Blood samples were taken from 384 randomly selected cattle and analyzed using the buffy coat technique to establish the prevalence of trypanosomosis. The overall infection rate was found to be 5.7%. Three trypanosome species were identified:  Trypanosoma congolense (63.6%), Trypanosoma vivax (31.8%), and Trypanosoma brucei (4.5%). No significant association was observed between disease prevalence and risk factors such as sex, age, or body condition (P > 0.05). However, animals infected with trypanosomes had significantly lower mean packed cell volume (PCV) values (22.8%) compared to non-infected animals (24.0%) (P < 0.05). Twenty traps were deployed for 72 h to capture tsetse flies, and the flies were identified and counted to determine the density in the area. A total of 323 flies were captured, comprising predominantly tsetse flies (318) Glossina pallidipes and Glossina fuscipes, with an average density of 5.3 flies/trap/day, followed by five Tabanus flies (0.083 flies/trap/day). Strengthening disease control strategies is essential to mitigate the negative effects on livestock.

Key words: Bovine, Demba Gofa, packed cell volume (PCV), prevalence, trypanosome, tsetse fly.