Use of DNA probes to identify Trypanosoma congolense and T. simiae in testse flies from the Gambia

Abstract Species- and strain-specific DNA probes were used to identify patent midgut infections in Glossina morsitans submorsitans and G. palpalis gambiensis captured at four sites in The Gambia. 52% of mature Nannomonas infections and 12% of immature infections were identified. Trypanosoma (Nannomonas) simiae accounted for the majority of identified infections in G.m. submorsitans , indicating the importance of distinguishing this species from the closely related T.(N) congolense when assessing the trypanosomiasis challenge to cattle. Both the savannah and riverine-forest groups of T. congolense were present, although the riverine-forest form was found only in G.p. gambiensis at Pirang, an isolated area of forest. Two-thirds of the samples remain unidentified by probes specific for: Trypanozoon; T. congolense savannah, riverine-forest and Kenya coast forms; T. simiae ; and T. vivax , probably owing in part to low numbers of trypanosomes. However, the failure to identify several heavy Nannomonas infections, strongly suggests the presence of a further, as yet unknown, kind of Nannomonas .