A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN EPIDEMIOLOGY OF SOKOINE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE. MOROGORO, TANZANIA.
East Coast fever (ECF) caused by Theileria parva and African animal trypanosomosis (AAT) caused by some Trypanosoma species are the most devastating cattle diseases that affect cattle productivity in Eastern, central and Southern Africa including Tanzania. A study was conducted in Monduli district in the Maasai steppe ecosystem of Tanzania to determine the prevalence of infections during the dry season when there is increased interaction between livestock and wildlife as a result of scarcity of food and water. Blood samples of 480 cattle were randomly selected in 10 villages and analysed using PCR for T. parva and trypanosomes targeting their p104 and ITS1 genes respectively. The overall prevalence of T. parva was 31.7%. There was a variation in prevalence among villages. Prevalence of trypanosomes was 4.2% varying from 2.1%-14.6%. Three villages had no infections. Mixed species infections occurred in only one village. However, prevalence of co-infections of T. parva and trypanosomes was 4.1%. Risk factors associated with the prevalence of T. parva and trypanosomes were analysed using χ2 test in Epi info 7. There was statistical insignificance between Sex and prevalence of T. parva (p>0.05). Calves less than 6 months had the highest prevalence 33.8% for T. parva. The use of oxytetracycline (p=0.024) for treatment and village location (p=0.010) were statistically significant to T. parva infection. For trypanosomes infections, adults had the highest prevalence of 5.1% with no statistical significance (p>0.05). However, prevalence of breed and source of animals were significantly associated (p<0.05) with trypanosomes. Village location was statistically insignificant (p=0.0738) for trypanosomes. Infections by T. parva and trypanosomes remain an important constraint to the extensive livestock farming system and development in Monduli since cattle carry the parasites which could be transmitted to the introduced more productive exotic breeds. The knowledge acquired from this present study will inform stakeholders to develop effective and integrated control strategies that could be easily implemented by farmers to control ECF and AAT.