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Background: Trypanocidal drugs have been used to control African animal trypanosomosis for several decades. In Ethiopia, these drugs are available from both authorized (legal) and unauthorized (illegal) sources but documentation on utilization practices and quality of circulating products is scanty. This study looked at the practices of trypanocidal drug utilization by farmers and the integrity of active ingredient in trypanocides sold in Gurage zone, south western Ethiopia. The surveys were based on a structured questionnaire and drug quality determination of commonly used brands originating from European and Asian companies and sold at both authorized and unauthorized markets. One hundred farmers were interviewed and 50 drug samples were collected in 2013 (Diminazene aceturate = 33 and Isometamidium chloride = 17; 25 from authorized and 25 from unauthorized sources). Samples were tested at the OIE-certified Veterinary Drug Control Laboratory (LACOMEV) in Dakar, Senegal, by using galenic standards and high performance liquid chromatography. Results: Trypanosomosis was found to be a major threat according to all interviewed livestock keepers in the study area. Diminazene aceturate and isometamidium chloride were preferred by 79% and 21% of the respondents respectively, and 85% of them indicated that an animal receives more than six treatments per year. About 60% of these treatments were reported to be administered by untrained farmers. Trypanocidal drug sources included both unauthorized outlets (56%) and authorized government and private sources (44%). A wide availability and usage of substandard quality drugs was revealed. Twenty eight percent of trypanocidal drugs tested failed to comply with quality requirements. There was no significant difference in the frequency of non-compliance between diminazene-based and isometamidium chloride products (P = 0.87) irrespective of the marketing channel (official and unofficial). However, higher rates of non-compliant trypanocides were detected for drugs originating from Asia than from Europe (P = 0.029). Conclusion: The findings revealed the presence of risk factors for the development of drug resistance, i.e. wide distribution of poor quality drugs as well as substandard administration practices. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to enforce regulatory measures for quality control of veterinary drugs, to expand and strengthen veterinary services and to undertake trypanocidal drug efficacy studies of wider coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tsetse flies, like many insects, use pheromones for inter- and intra-specific communication. Several of their pheromones are cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) that are perceived by contact at close range. We hypothesized that for a successful implementation of the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), along with proper identification of target area and target species, the target tsetse populations and the sterile flies must chemically communicate with each other. To study the population structuring of Glossina pallidipes in Ethiopia, CHCs were extracted and analyzed from three tsetse belts. As a comparative approach, wing morphometric analysis was performed. The analysis of the relative abundance of CHCs revealed that populations of G. pallidipes from the Rift Valley tsetse belt showed a distinct clustering compared to populations from the other two belts. The spatial pattern of CHC differences was complemented by the wing morphometric analysis. Our data suggest that CHCs of known biological and ecological role, when combined with wing morphometric data, will provide an alternative means for the study of population structuring of Glossina populations. This could aid the planning of area wide control strategies using SIT, which is dependent on sexual competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the largest cattle population in Africa and vast swathes of fertile lands infested by tsetse flies, trypanosomosis is a major challenge for Ethiopian farmers. Managing the problem strategically and rationally requires comprehensive and detailed information on disease and vector distribution at the national level. To this end, the National Institute for Control and Eradication of Tsetse and Trypanosomosis (NICETT) developed a national atlas of tsetse and African animal trypanosomosis (AAT) for Ethiopia., Methods: This first edition of the atlas focused on the tsetse-infested areas in western Ethiopia. Data were collected between 2010 and 2019 in the framework of national surveillance and control activities. Over 88,000 animals, mostly cattle, were tested with the buffy-coat technique (BCT). Odour-enhanced traps were deployed in approximately 14,500 locations for the entomological surveys. Animal- and trap-level data were geo-referenced, harmonized and centralized in a single database., Results: AAT occurrence was confirmed in 86% of the districts surveyed (107/124). An overall prevalence of 4.8% was detected by BCT in cattle. The mean packed cell volume (PCV) of positive animals was 22.4, compared to 26.1 of the negative. Trypanosoma congolense was responsible for 61.9% of infections, T. vivax for 35.9% and T. brucei for 1.7%. Four tsetse species were found to have a wide geographic distribution. The highest apparent density (AD) was reported for Glossina pallidipes in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's Region (SNNPR) (3.57 flies/trap/day). Glossina tachinoides was the most abundant in Amhara (AD 2.39), Benishangul-Gumuz (2.38), Gambela (1.16) and Oromia (0.94) regions. Glossina fuscipes fuscipes and G. morsitans submorsitans were detected at lower densities (0.19 and 0.42 respectively). Only one specimen of G. longipennis was captured., Conclusions: The atlas establishes a reference for the distribution of tsetse and AAT in Ethiopia. It also provides crucial evidence to plan surveillance and monitor control activities at the national level. Future work on the atlas will focus on the inclusion of data collected by other stakeholders, the broadening of the coverage to tsetse-free areas and continuous updates. The extension of the atlas to data on control activities is also envisaged., (© 2022. The Author(s).)