Spatial distribution of Tsetse fly and prevalence of bovine trypanosomosis in selected sites of Southern Ethiopia

A cross sectional study was conducted from June 2023 to March 2024 to estimate the prevalence of bovine trypanosomosis and density of Tsetse fly in Southern Ethiopia. Total of 432 blood samples collected from systematically selected cattle and examined using buffy coat and thin blood smear examination. The overall prevalence of trypanosomosis found 6.5% with Trypanosoma congolense (78.6%) and T. vivax (21.4%) being the causative agents. Significantly higher disease occurrence were observed in lowland areas (7.5%, 95% CI: 5.2-10.7) than highland (1.4%, 95% CI: 0.2-9.4). Similarly, poor body conditioned cattle (13.8%, 95% CI: 9.3-20.0) had shown significantly higher infection than medium (3.2%, 95% CI: 1.2-8.3) and good (0.7%, 95% CI: 0.01-5.1) (P < 0.05). The mean PCV value was 25.89 ± 4.57 with significantly higher (P < 0.05) was recorded in infected cattle (20.61 ± 3.50) than non-infected (26.25 ± 4.41). Total of 300 flies caught by using 50NGU traps, giving overall apparent density of 0.86 f/t/d for Glossina pallidipes and 2.14f/t/d for other biting fly. The study highlights the need for comprehensive control measures, such as use of insecticide-treated targets, traps and chemoprophylaxis, to prevent spread of the disease in the study area.