TRYPANOSOME CHARACTERIZATION BY POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION IN GLOSSINA-PALPALIS-GAMBIENSIS AND GLOSSINA-TACHINOIDES FROM BURKINA-FASO

Following the discovery of four cases of African human trypanosomiasis , an entomological survey was conducted along the Mouhoun river in sou thwest Burkina Faso to collect Glossina palpalis gambiensis and G.tach inoides. Among 226 flies dissected, 4.87% (eleven individuals) were in fected in midgut or proboscis, but never in the salivary glands. Polym erase chain reaction analysis was undertaken, and was able to characte rize all the proboscis infections, and half of the midgut infections. Only Trypanosoma simiae and T. vivax were found in the organs of infec ted flies, in single or mixed-species infections. Ten more flies, nega tive with parasitological examination, were tested with Trypanozoon pr imers and remained negative. The epidemiological significance of the a bsence of T.brucei group infections in wild tsetse populations and the presence of T.simiae in G.p.gambiensis are discussed.