Prevalence, of Bovine Trypanosomosis in Cattle Slaughtered at Gombe Township Abattoir, Gombe State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study determined the prevalence, species distribution, and risk factors of trypanosome infection in cattle slaughtered at the Gombe Township Abattoir, Gombe State, Nigeria. Blood samples were collected from 300 cattle and examined using wet mount, thin smear, thick smear, Haematocrit Centrifugation Technique (HCT/Woo), and the Buffy Coat Method (BCM). Packed Cell Volume (PCV) was measured for all animals. Chi-square and independent samples t-tests were applied for statistical analysis at p < 0.05.  An overall prevalence of 11.67% was recorded. Three species were identified: Trypanosoma vivax (7.33%), T. congolense (3.33%), and T. brucei (1.00%). Prevalence did not differ significantly by breed (p = 0.34) or sex (p = 0.78), but adults showed a higher infection rate (13.33%) than young animals (7.78%; p = 0.06). Infected cattle had a significantly lower mean PCV (22.4% ± 3.8%) than uninfected animals (30.8% ± 4.5%; p < 0.001). BCM achieved 100% relative sensitivity, substantially outperforming thin smear (25.7%).  Bovine trypanosomiasis is prevalent in Gombe abattoir cattle and is significantly associated with anaemia. The BCM and HCT are recommended as the minimum diagnostic standard for field surveillance, and targeted intervention programmes focusing on adult cattle are warranted.