Assessment of Bovine Trypanosomiasis and Tsetse Fly Density in Gechi District, Western Ethiopia

Background: Bovine trypanosomiasis, a parasitic disease transmitted by tsetse flies, poses a significant threat to livestock health and agricultural productivity in Ethiopia, affecting millions of farmers who rely on cattle for milk, meat, and draught power. This study was aimed at assessing the prevalence of bovine trypanosomiasis and the density of tsetse flies in the Gechi District, western Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from March to September 2022 in Gechi District, western Ethiopia. Results: Out of 471 blood samples collected from randomly selected animals, 32 (6.79%) tested positive for trypanosomes, with Trypanosome vivax (71.87%) being the most prevalent, followed by Trypanosome congolense (25%) and Trypanosome brucei (3.13%). The prevalence of trypanosomes did not significantly differ across study sites, age groups, body conditions, or sexes. The mean packed cell volume value of parasitemic animals (23.1%) was significantly lower than that of aparasitemic animals (25.52%) (p = 0.013). By deploying 60 traps, a total of 288 tsetse flies were caught, with 73.26% identified as Glossina tachinoides and the remaining 26.74% as Glossina morsitans. Conclusions: This study found a 6.79% prevalence of bovine trypanosomiasis in the Gechi District, which was caused primarily by T. vivax and T. congolense, with a tsetse fly density of 2.4 flies per trap per day (FTD), indicating that trypanosomes and their vectors are prevalent in the area. Continuous control measures and monitoring should be implemented to mitigate the impact of the disease.