VECTORIAL CAPACITY OF GLOSSINA TACHINOIDE S INFECTED BY TRYPANOSOMA (NANNOMONAS) CONGOLENSE - EPIDEMIOLOGIC IMPLICATIONS

A total of 182 Glossina tachinoides were infected with Trypanosoma con golense savannah type. infection rates were determined according to mi croscopical examination of dissected flies and PCR on proboscis. Diffe rent techniques of trypanosomes detection in the saliva of live tsetse flies were compared. Results show a high percentage of immature infec tion rates. PCR amplification of trypanosomes in tsetse flies probosci s confirm parasitological observations. The salivation technique showe d fluctuations of the number of trypanosomes deposited with saliva. Va riability between individual flies was observed in the mean number of parasites elected, the rate of positive salivates detected by PCR and the rate of infected mice. PCR technique was as efficient as parasitol ogical technique to detect trypanosomes in the salivates. The infectiv ity on mice was the less efficient method. These results improve our k nowledge on G. tachinoides vectorial competence in the laboratory, and precise the role of this tsetse species in the epidemiology of this d isease.