The hosts of Glossina as the main factor affecting trypanosome infection rates of tsetse flies in Nigeria

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Abstract
An examination is made of previously published data on the trypanosome infection rate and the natural hosts, as determined by serological tests, of 9 species of Glossina from various localities in Nigeria. A relationship is demonstrated between a high total infection rate and a large proportion of meals derived from Bovidae (particularly bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus), with buffalo (Syncerus nanus) important in some localities). Infection rates and the natural hosts, as determined by the measurement of red blood cells found in the flies, of two species of Glossina in Northern Nigeria were recorded by Lloyd, Johnson, Young and Morrison (1924). An examination of their data shows that a similar relationship exists between feeds derived from Bovidae and total trypanosome infection rate. Species of Glossina which had fed mainly on Suidae usually had fewer infections of T. vivax group of trypanosomes than those which had fed mainly on Bovidae; the numbers of T. congolense group infections were approximately the same in the two groups of species. It is suggested that, at least in Nigeria, the source of food of the flies is the main factor involved in determining the level of infection with trypanosomes in Glossina. The importance of other factors, particularly temperature, is discussed.