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African trypanosomiasis is a parasitic disease that causes serious economic losses in livestock due to anemia, loss of condition and emaciation. The disease when neglected is lethal and untreated cases are fatal. African trypanosomiasis is found mainly in those regions of Africa where its biological vector, the tsetse fly, exists. Trypanosomiasis has widespread constraint on livestock production, traction power, mixed farming and human health in Sub-Saharan Africa. A tsetse fly eradication program being conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa may help in the control of African trypanosomiasis, as well as other forms of trypanosomiasis that affect humans. Control may also be achieved by a variety of autonomous and/or purposive measures. Autonomous control includes the multiple environmental impacts of human population growth, the expansion of agriculture, settlements and road networks, and the elimination of wildlife, through hunting and habitat loss. Purposive control includes those related to animal husbandry and breeding, those directed against the trypanosome and those targeted at the vector. To be sustained and effective in the reduction of poverty, disease control must be a priority concern of livestock producers, affected communities, and benefits of increased production, improved human health must exceed the costs of control. However, ‘the most scientific and economic means’ must be employed in control, as indiscriminate control actions against the disease may lead to irreversible damage to climate, environment and natural resources. Integration of control measures against the vector with other viable control measures along with the use of the most efficient and up-to-date technologies such as GIS, computerized model etc will yield better results.

Occurrence of African animal trypanosomosis among cattle, sheep and goats reared in some communities in Igabi Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State, Nigeria was investigated. About 5 ml of blood sample was collected from the jugular vein of each animal into Ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA) bottles to prevent clotting. Wet, thin, thick films, animal inoculation, haematocrit centrifugation and buffy coat methods were used to detect trypanosomes in the blood samples. Anemic status of the animals was also determined by packed cell volume (PCV) method. Overall, 278 ruminants comprising 170 cattle, 88 goats and 20 sheep were examined. Of the 278 blood samples collected 41(14.75%) were positive for trypanosomes made up of 22(12.9%) cattle, 2(10.1%) sheep and 17(19.0%) goats. Trypanosoma vivax at 36(12.90%) occurrence constituted the highest number of trypanosoma species encountered, while 5(1.79%) was recorded for T. congolense. None of the animals examined harbored Trypanosoma brucei group. Other haemoparasites encountered included Babesia spp, Anaplasma spp and onchocerca microfilaria observed mainly in cattle. Mean PCV of infected cattle, goats and sheep were 20.33±3.31, 20.29±2.40 and 19.40±2.19 respectively. The detection of trypanosome species in this study is an indication that the disease is still endemic in the study area and could be of economic and public health importance.