Prevalence of Small Ruminant Trypanosomosis in Dangur District, Metekel Zone, Benishangul Gumuz Region, North Western Ethiopia

A cross sectional study was conducted in Dangur district, North Western Ethiopia from February to June, 2013 to determine the prevalence of trypanosomosis in small ruminants using dark phase contrast buffy coat examination. Blood samples were collected from 312 randomly selected small ruminants including sheep (108) and goats (204) of different sexes and body conditions in five peasant associations. Of the total small ruminants examined during the study period, 8 animals (2.56%) were infected with trypanosomes. Out of the total examined, (3.70%) four sheep and four (1.96%) goats were found infected. Infections were due to Trypanosoma vivax (1.85%) and Trypanosoma congolense (0.98%) in both sheep and goats. There was no statistically significant difference (P>0.05) between season, body conditions, species and sexes on infection rate. The overall Mean Packed Cell Volume (PCV) value of examined animals was 27.66%. The difference in mean PCV of parasitaemic (23.13%) and aparasitaemic (27.78%) animals was not significant (P>0.05) although, lower mean PCV was recorded in parasitaemic animals. Although, the present study revealed low prevalence (2.56%) of trypanosomosis in small ruminants in the study area, the impact of this disease on production, and the role of these small ruminants as potential risk of transmission to other livestock should not be under estimated. Therefore, appropriate intervention measures need to be taken.