The SOS re-treatment programme and its effect on the prevalence of human and animal trypanosomiasis

Louise Hamill

Research output: Contribution to conferenceOther

Abstract / Description of output

The “Stamp Out Sleeping Sickness (SOS)” programme was launched in 2006, and aims to halt northward spread of Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense in Uganda by mass trypanocidal treatment of the cattle reservoir. Phase 1 targeted the most northerly of the newly affected districts. Post-treatment monitoring revealed a cluster of villages in which T. b. rhodesiense remained present in the cattle reservoir. The villages were located close to one another and within parishes that continued to report human sleeping sickness cases, indicating transmission may not have been properly interrupted. Subsequently, re-treatment of this high risk area was undertaken.

This work assesses the impact of the SOS re-treatment intervention on the prevalence of T. vivax, T. b. brucei and T. b. rhodesiense by analyzing cattle blood samples from 20 villages within the re-treatment area. Samples were taken immediately before and six months after re-treatment. Samples were then subjected to PCR based methods for the detection of parasite DNA.

The results of this analysis show the re-treatment programme was successful in reducing the overall prevalence of trypanosomiasis in the targeted area. A significant drop in trypanosome prevalence was observed between the baseline and six month samples, both overall and in each individual species detected.

Original languageEnglish
Publication statusUnpublished - 2010
EventJoint Tropical Veterinary Parasitology and EVPC Annual Congress 2010 - Munich, Germany
Duration: 29 Apr 201030 Apr 2010

Conference

ConferenceJoint Tropical Veterinary Parasitology and EVPC Annual Congress 2010
Country/TerritoryGermany
CityMunich
Period29/04/1030/04/10

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