Antibody-ELISA seroprevalence of bovine trypanosomosis in the Eastern Province of Zambia

A longitudinal study was conducted over a I-year period in six selected vil lages in Petauke and Katete districts in the Eastern Province of Zambia. St arting in November 1997, 50 animals were sampled at random at each village every 2 months. The parasitological prevalence of trypanosomosis was determ ined by the haematocrit centrifugation buffy-coat technique, supplemented w ith thick and thin Giemsa-stained blood films. Serum samples also were coll ected for anti-trypanosomal antibody determination by indirect, enzyme-link ed immunosorbent assay. Parasitological prevalence was highly variable between villages and between visits (range: 0-28.6%; median: 3.1%). Seroprevalence was also variable be tween villages (range: 0-80.8%; median: 50%), but was less variable between visits. Average annual parasitological prevalence and average annual serop revalence for each village were highly correlated [R-2 (adjusted for d.f.) = 0.89, p < 0.01]. Seroprevalence measured on any single visit to a study v illage was better than parasitological prevalence as a predictor of average annual parasitological prevalence. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B,V. All righ ts reserved.