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 ca ttle 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 huffy-coat samples using primers specific fo r Trypanosoma congolense savannah and riverine-forest groups, T. vivax, and T. brucei. Parasitological examination and the molecular technique were co mpared, 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 Afr ican trypanosomoses in affected areas. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All r ights reserved.