Epidemiology of trypanosomosis due to Trypanosoma evansi in dromedary camel in Mali: Results of parasitological and clinical surveys

Abstract

An epidemiological study of trypanosomosis was conducted in the rearing areas of dromedary camels in Mali. According to the parasitological and clinical surveys performed, the overall infection rates were 9.5 % (29/305) in Western Sahel (region I) and 4.5 % (28/627) in the areas of Tombouctou and Gao (region II). The proportion of contaminated herds was 55 % in region I and 68 % in region II and in some herds the infection rate exceeded 50 %. The surveys showed a trend for increasing parasitological prevalence with age. While it was almost inexistent in young camels less than one year old, it increased with age and reached a maximum in 2 to 5-year old camels. The authors showed that the infection has a significantly negative effect on PCV and on the overall status of the animals, confirming the pathogenicity of Trypanasoma evansi in dromedary camels. This trypanosome is almost the only species detected in the dromedary camel in Mali and it does not seem to cause infections in other animals reared in the same environment.