Abstract:

important in understanding the epidemiology of vector borne diseases and their control. A
study was undertaken in the communal grazing lands of three districts in Mid-Northern
Uganda to investigate the status of tsetse fly population. Tsetse apparent densities varied
between 0.2-2.1 flies/trap/day across the three study areas and Glossina fuscipes fuscipes was
the only species encountered. Tsetse flies were trapped, dissected and their organs (proboscis,
salivary glands and mid-guts) were microscopically examined for trypanosome infections
giving an overall infection rate of 5.6%. Out of the 376 non-teneral flies dissected and
examined microscopically for infections, trypanosomes of various species were observed
constituted a statistically significant difference (x2, 8.048, d.f.= 1, P= 0.002). The infection
rates were high during the wet season 3.7% than the dry season 1.9%. The infecting rate of
trypanosome species were classified as 3.2% for T.vivax, 1.3% for T.congolense, 1.1% for
higher than that of T.congolense (1.3%), there was no significant difference between the two
(x , 2.882, d.f.— 1, P- 0.04). Bloodmeal analysis implicated two(2) vertebrate hosts, cattle
and human beings. This finding is of epidemiological importance, in relation to the cycle of
implication that control efforts of trypanosomosis should priotise on these two hosts.
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immature (gut only) and 0% for T.brucei. Although the proportion of T.vivax (3.2%) was
Apparent density, Infection rates and host preferences are among the factors which are
transmission of human infective trypanosomes between domestic animals and man an
in 21 flies. Of the infected flies, 17 (81%) were females while 4(19%) were males, which