부산대학교 도서관

Although studies on African Trypanosomiases revealed a variety of trypanosome species in the blood of various animal taxa, animal reservoirs of Trypanosoma brucei gambiense and anatomical niches such as skin have been overlooked in most epidemiological settings. This study aims to update epidemiological data on trypanosome infections in animals from human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) foci of Cameroon. Blood and skin snips were collected from 291 domestic and wild animals. DNA was extracted from blood and skin snips and molecular approaches were used to identify different trypanosomes species. Immunohistochemical analyses were used to confirm trypanosome infections in skin snips. PCR revealed 137 animals (47.1%) with at least one trypanosome species in the blood and/or in the skin. Of these 137 animals, 90 (65.7%) and 32 (23.4%) had trypanosome infections respectively in the blood and skin. Fifteen (10.9%) animals had trypanosome infections in both blood and skin snip. Animals from the Campo HAT focus (55.0%) were significantly (X2 = 17.6; P< 0.0001) more infected than those (29.7%) from Bipindi. Trypanosomes of the subgenus Trypanozoon were present in 27.8% of animals while T. vivax, T. congolense forest type and savannah type were detected in 16.5%, 10.3% and 1.4% of animals respectively. Trypanosoma b. gambiense infections were detected in the blood of 7.6% (22/291) of animals. No T. b. gambiense infection was detected in skin. This study highlights the presence of several trypanosome species in the blood and skin of various wild and domestic animals. Skin appeared as an anatomical reservoir for trypanosomes in animals. Despite methodological limitations, pigs, sheep, goats and wild animals were confirmed as potential reservoirs of T. b. gambiense. These animal reservoirs must be considered for the designing of control strategies that will lead to sustainable elimination of HAT. Author summary: Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) is a neglected tropical disease affecting some sub-Saharan Africa countries. Although HAT elimination can be considered as achieved in some foci, the interruption of its transmission by 2030 remains a challenge. Animal reservoir and skin-dwelling trypanosomes have emerged as factors that can compromise sustainable elimination of HAT. It is in this light that T. b. gambiense infections and different trypanosome species were identified in blood and skin of domestic and wild animals from two HAT foci of the forest region of Cameroon. For this study, blood and skin snip samples were collected from domestic and wild animals. Molecular tools were used to identify different trypanosome species. Several trypanosome species including trypanosomes of the subgenus Trypanozoon, T. vivax and T. congolense were detected in the blood and skin of several animal taxa. Immuno-histochemical tools confirmed trypanosome infections in the skin. Pigs, sheep, goats and wild animals were confirmed as potential animal reservoirs of T. b. gambiense. Results of this study highlighted the necessity of considering animal reservoirs as well as skin-dwelling trypanosomes in the designing of new control strategies that will lead to the interruption of HAT transmission by 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]