Effect of wing length on the prevalence of trypanosomes in Glossina morsitans morsitans in eastern Zambia.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossinidae) transmit trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness in humans and nagana in livestock). Several studies have indicated that age, sex, site of capture, starvation and microbiome symbionts, among others, are important factors that influence trypanosome infection in tsetse flies. However, reasons for a higher infection rate in females than in males still largely remain unknown. Considering that tsetse species and sexes of larger body size are the most mobile and the most available to stationary baits, it was hypothesized in this study that the higher trypanosome prevalence in female than in male tsetse flies was a consequence of females being larger than males.

Methods

Black screen fly rounds and Epsilon traps were used to collect tsetse f

SUBMITTER: Mweempwa C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8371877 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature