East Coast fever (ECF) caused by Theileria parva and African animal trypanosomosis
(AAT) caused by some Trypanosoma species are the most devastating cattle diseases that
affect cattle productivity in Eastern, central and Southern Africa including Tanzania. A
study was conducted in Monduli district in the Maasai steppe ecosystem of Tanzania to
determine the prevalence of infections during the dry season when there is increased
interaction between livestock and wildlife as a result of scarcity of food and water. Blood
samples of 480 cattle were randomly selected in 10 villages and analysed using PCR for T.
parva and trypanosomes targeting their p104 and ITS1 genes respectively. The overall
prevalence of T. parva was 31.7%. There was a variation in prevalence among villages.
Prevalence of trypanosomes was 4.2% varying from 2.1%-14.6%. Three villages had no
infections. Mixed species infections occurred in only one village. However, prevalence of
co-infections of T. parva and trypanosomes was 4.1%. Risk factors associated with the
prevalence of T. parva and trypanosomes were analysed using χ
2
test in Epi info 7. There
was statistical insignificance between Sex and prevalence of T. parva (p>0.05). Calves
less than 6 months had the highest prevalence 33.8% for T. parva. The use of
oxytetracycline (p=0.024) for treatment and village location (p=0.010) were statistically
significant to T. parva infection. For trypanosomes infections, adults had the highest
prevalence of 5.1% with no statistical significance (p>0.05). However, prevalence of breed
and source of animals were significantly associated (p<0.05) with trypanosomes. Village
location was statistically insignificant (p=0.0738) for trypanosomes. Infections by T.
parva and trypanosomes remain an important constraint to the extensive livestock farming
system and development in Monduli since cattle carry the parasites which could be
transmitted to the introduced more productive exotic breeds. The knowledge acquired
from this present study will inform stakeholders to develop effective and integrated
control strategies that could be easily implemented by farmers to control ECF and AAT.