Prevalence of Trypanosomosis in Horses and Donkeys in The Gambia
Author Information
Author(s): Gina L Pinchbeck, Liam J Morrison, Andy Tait, Joanna Langford, Lucinda Meehan, Saloum Jallow, Jibril Jallow, Amadou Jallow, Robert M Christley
Primary Institution: Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool
Hypothesis
What is the prevalence of trypanosomosis in working horses and donkeys in The Gambia?
Conclusion
The study found a high prevalence of trypanosomosis in horses and donkeys, with significant clinical implications, particularly from T. congolense infections.
Supporting Evidence
- The overall trypanosome prevalence was found to be 91%.
- Infection rates were 31% for T. congolense Savannah, 87% for T. vivax, and 18% for T. brucei sp.
- 43% of infections were mixed species infections.
- Microscopy had a specificity of 100% but a sensitivity of only 20% compared to PCR.
- Infection with T. congolense had the greatest negative effect on packed cell volume (PCV).
- Concurrent infection with T. vivax appeared to ameliorate the pathology caused by T. congolense.
Takeaway
This study looked at sick horses and donkeys in The Gambia and found that many of them had a disease caused by tiny germs called trypanosomes, which can make them very sick.
Methodology
241 animals were screened using Whole Genome Amplification (WGA) followed by PCR for trypanosome species identification.
Potential Biases
The sampling was biased towards animals with clinical signs, which may overestimate the prevalence.
Limitations
The study's prevalence estimates may not be representative of the general population as most animals were presented for clinical problems.
Participant Demographics
183 horses and 58 donkeys from the Central River Division in The Gambia.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.01
Confidence Interval
95% CI
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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