Tripanosomiasis bovina en ganadería lechera de trópico alto: primer informe de Haematobia irritans como principal vector de T. vivax y T. evansi en Colombia.

Bovine trypanosomiasis is a hemoparasitic disease transmitted in Latin America mainly by biting flies of the family Tabanidae. The study aimed to evaluate infection by Trypanosoma vivax and Trypanosoma evansi in cattle specialized in milk production on a farm and their potential vectors. A direct parasitological and entomological study was performed using microscopy techniques and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with two molecular markers to differentiate Trypanosoma species in blood samples of cattle and flies. Infection frequency with Trypanosoma vivax and Trypanosoma evansi in cattle was 3.6 and 0%, respectively. Characterization of vectors shows Haematobia irritans as the most frequent fly in the study area (97.1%), followed by Stomoxys calcitrans (2.8%). No horseflies were identified. T. vivax and T. evansi were found in proboscis and thorax-abdomen of biting flies Haematobia irritans and Stomoxys calcitrans, representing an epizootic behavior, atypical in South American countries. Due to its high population density, it is suggested that the Haematobia irritans fly is the main potential vector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]