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Journal ArticleDOI

Identification of trypanosomes in wild animals from Southern Cameroon using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

01 Dec 2002-Parasite (Parasite)-Vol. 9, Iss: 4, pp 345-349
TL;DR: PCR was used to detect the different trypanosome species present in wild animal captured by hunters in the southern forest belt of Cameroon and found parasites pathogenic to man in 164 animals belonging to 24 different species including ungulates, rodents, pangolins, carnivores, reptiles and primates.
Abstract: One possible explanation of the maintenance of many historical foci of sleeping sickness in Central Africa could be the existence of a wild animal reservoir. In this study, PCR was used to detect the different trypanosome species present in wild animal captured by hunters in the southern forest belt of Cameroon (Bipindi). Trypanosomes were also detected by a parasitological method (Quantitative buffy coat: QBC). Parasite could not be isolated in culture medium (Kit for in vitro isolation: KIVI). Specific primers of T. brucei s.l., T. congolense forest type, T. congolense savannah type, T. vivax, T. simiae and T. b. gambiense group 1 were used to identify parasites in the blood of 164 animals belonging to 24 different species including ungulates, rodents, pangolins, carnivores, reptiles and primates. Of the 24 studied species, eight were carrying T. b. gambiense group 1. Those parasites pathogenic to man were found in monkeys (Cercocebus torquatus and Cercopithecus nictitans), in ungulates (Cephalophus dorsalis and C. monticola), in carnivores (Nandinia binotata and Genetta servalina) and in rodents (Cricetomys gambianus and Atherurus africanus). 13 species (54%) were carrying T. brucei s.l. identified as non-gambiense group 1.

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Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: If national control programmes, international organisations, research institutes, and philanthropic partners engage in concerted action, elimination of this disease might even be possible, the World Health Organization has stated.

806 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Blood was collected from wild animals in three human African trypanosomiasis foci and from a nonendemic control area to study the existence of a wild animal reservoir for Trypanosoma brucei gambiense in South Cameroon.

143 citations


Cites background or result from "Identification of trypanosomes in w..."

  • ...PCR results revealed T. brucei s.l. DNA in a large range of wild animals, as recently reported by Herder et al. (2002) on a smaller sample size in Bipindi....

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  • ...Some uncommon hosts found here might also be explained by the fact that the PCR can also reveal transient infections (Herder et al., 2002)....

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  • ...The results obtained in this study confirmed those previously reported in Bipindi (Herder et al., 2002), which were based on a smaller sample size (164 instead of 832)....

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  • ...Another PCR was done on positive samples for T. brucei s.l. with primers that characterize T. b. gambiense group 1 (TRBPA1 and TRBPA2; Herder et al., 2002)....

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  • ...In a previous study, we showed the high number of trypanosome species harboured by wild animals in the forest belt of southern Cameroon (Herder et al., 2002)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This hypothesis was statistically tested and assessed, showing that S. glossinidius is potentially an efficient target for controlling tsetse fly vectorial competence and consequently sleeping sickness.

109 citations


Cites methods from "Identification of trypanosomes in w..."

  • ...PCR amplification of parasites was performed as described by Herder et al. (2002)....

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  • ...Specific trypanosome primers (Moser et al., 1989; Masiga et al., 1992; Majiwa et al., 1994; Herder et al., 2002) were tested on fly organs....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: To understand the importance of domestic pigs in the epidemiology of humantrypanosomiasis, PCR was used to identify trypanosome populations in 133 pigs from the Fontem sleeping sickness focus of Cameroon and observed that under natural conditions, 52.4% of the pigs fromThe Fontem focus carry mixed infections with T. b.

108 citations

Book ChapterDOI
TL;DR: This work considers the optimal ways in which to devise HAT control policies in light of the differing biology and epidemiology of the parasites, and emphasise the wider aspects of control policy, outlining the responsibilities of individuals, governments and international organisations in control programmes.
Abstract: Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), or sleeping sickness, describes not one but two discrete diseases: that caused by Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and that caused by T. b. gambiense. The Gambian form is currently a major public health problem over vast areas of central and western Africa, while the zoonotic, Rhodesian form continues to present a serious health risk in eastern and southern Africa. The two parasites cause distinct clinical manifestations, and there are significant differences in the epidemiology of the diseases caused. We discuss the differences between the diseases caused by the two parasites, with an emphasis on disease burden, reservoir hosts, transmission, diagnosis, treatment and control. We analyse how these differences impacted on historical disease control trends and how they can inform contemporary treatment and control options. We consider the optimal ways in which to devise HAT control policies in light of the differing biology and epidemiology of the parasites, and emphasise, in particular, the wider aspects of control policy, outlining the responsibilities of individuals, governments and international organisations in control programmes.

105 citations

References
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The methodology should be suitable for large-scale epidemiological studies and was sensitive and specific, detecting one trypanosome unequivocally and showing no reaction with non-target trypanOSome DNA or a huge excess of host DNA.

414 citations

Journal Article
TL;DR: A group of closely related minor zymodemes constituted another trypanosome population ineffective to man in West Africa which had a variable sensitivity to normal human serum and had been previously associated with chronic gambiense sleeping sickness.
Abstract: Polymorphism in 12 enzymes, as shown by electrophoresis on thin-layer starch-gel, was examined in 88 stocks of trypanosomes of the subgenus Trypanozoon isolated from man and animals in the Ivory Coast and Upper Volta Three of the enzyme profiles seen in trypanosomes from man in the Ivory Coast were exactly the same as in trypanosomes from local domestic pigs and from various game animals and a bovine in the Upper volta, thus confirming previous evidence that human trypanosomiasis is a zoonosis in West Africa Altogether 9 zymodemes were found in man; one was exactly the same as another from the Congo while a further one was identical to a Ugandan zymodeme Thirty-one zymodemes were found only in animals, and 6 were exactly the same as others from elsewhere in Africa, including the eastern part All zymodemes resembled each other by possessing common electrophoretic patterns in 5 enzymes In most zymodemes, the variants of two other enzymes were characteristically West African, although an East African influence was apparent, together with further evidence of hybridization Many zymodemes differed from others only to a minor extent in a few isoenzyme bands A group of closely related minor zymodemes constituted another trypanosome population ineffective to man in West Africa which had a variable sensitivity to normal human serum; enzymatically it was clearly separated from the major zymodeme previously described in West Africa, which was consistently resistant to normal human serum and had been previously associated with chronic gambiense sleeping sickness

168 citations

Journal Article
TL;DR: Two stocks from pigs were found both to be resistant to human plasma and to have an isoenzyme marker, a slow alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) pattern, previously found only in Trypanosoma brucei gambiense from man, constitutes evidence that the pig is a reservoir of human trypanosomiasis in West Africa.
Abstract: 29 Trypanozoon stocks from Liberian pigs and dogs were screened for human plasma resistance and electrophoretic isoenzyme patterns of eleven enzymes. Two stocks from pigs were found both to be resistant to human plasma and to have an isoenzyme marker, a slow alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) pattern, previously found only in Trypanosoma brucei gambiense from man. This constitutes evidence that the pig is a reservoir of human trypanosomiasis in West Africa. The T.b.gambiense ALAT was also found in stocks from 5 other pigs and a dog, but none of these stocks was resistant to human plasma; conversely, 9 further isolations from pigs and 2 from dogs were plasma resistant but did not have the T.b.gambiense ALAT. The lack of correspondence between the two characteristics is discussed. A T.b.gambiense stock from man in Zaire had the ALAT pattern characteristic of T.b.gambiense from Senegal and Nigeria, together with the ASAT triplet found in most T.b.gambiense stocks. Peptidase polymorphism was shown in trypanosomes for the first time.

126 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Wendy Gibson reviews the status of T. b.

122 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
15 Nov 1958-BMJ
TL;DR: If the possibility of a bleeding state after incompatible transfusion had been known, the second laparotomy would probably not have been carried out, and appropriate treatment might have been started earlier, as the patient had developed abnormal bleeding before the dextran was given.
Abstract: Two pints (1 litre) of dextran 6% in saline was given when matched blood and plasma were temporarily unavailable. In retrospect it is clear that this was inadvisable, as a number of reports have incriminated dextran as a cause of a haemorrhagic tendency (Carbone et al., 1954; Scott, 1955; McKenzie and Langlands, 1956). The mechanism of the process is not clear, and suggestions made include interaction of dextran with fibrinogen, haemodilution, production of thrombocytopenia, and prolongation of the bleedingtime. The patient, of course, had developed abnormal bleeding before the dextran was given, but it is possible that the dextran aggravated the haemorrhagic tendency. Friesen et al. (1952) described similar cases in which postoperative bleeding occurred as a result of a haemolytic transfusion reaction, when over 250 ml. of incompatible blood had been given. They felt that fibrinolysis was an important factor, but considered that a \" heparinoid disturbance\" was present. Toluidine-blue dye, given intravenously to two patients in a dosage of 15 mg. per kg. of body weight, apparently corrected the bleeding tendency. Such treatment might be worthy of a trial in any refractory case. Treatment with corticotrophin (200 units intramuscularly) or cortisone (400 mg. intravenously) has been recommended, in addition to fibrinogen, by Stefanini and Dameshek (1955). If the possibility of a bleeding state after incompatible transfusion had been known, the second laparotomy would probably not have been carried out, and appropriate treatment might have been started earlier.

114 citations