Jean-François Michel

Polymerase chain reaction as a diagnosis tool for detecting trypanosomes in naturally infected cattle in Burkina Faso

African animal trypanosomoses constitute the most important vector-borne cattle diseases in sub-Saharan Africa. Generally it is considered that there is a great lack of accurate tools for the diagnosis of the disease. During a trypanosomosis survey in the agro-pastoral zone of Sideradougou, Burkina Faso, 1036 cattle were examined for trypanosomes using microscopy. The PCR was applied on a subset of 260 buffy-coat samples using primers specific for Trypanosoma congolense savannah and riverine-forest groups, T. vivax, and T. brucei. Parasitological examination and the molecular technique were compared, showing a better efficiency of the latter. In the near future, the PCR is likely to become an efficient tool to estimate the prevalence of African trypanosomoses in affected areas.

Review on the Molecular Tools for the Understanding of the Epidemiology of Animal Trypanosomosis in West Africa

The epidemiology of animal trypanosomosis around Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso, West Africa) benefited a lot in the last years from the progress of molecular tools. The two most used molecular techniques were the polymerase chain reaction for the diagnosis of the disease in cattle and the characterization of the trypanosomes in the host and the vector on one hand, and the microsatellite DNA polymorphism in tsetse flies to study the intraspecific genetic variability of the vector on the other hand. The results obtained in the Sideradougou area during a recent two year survey with these techniques, associated with many other georeferenced informations concerning vector and cattle distribution, natural environment, landuse, ground occupation, livestock management, were combined in a Geographical Information System. This new approach of a complex pathogenic system led to a better evaluation of the risk of trypanosome transmission.