Trypanocidal drug utilization practices in tsetse suppression and non-suppression areas of South Omo Zone, Southwestern Ethiopia

Abstract

Trypanosomosis control in Ethiopia is largely rely on use of available trypanocidal drugs although there are other options such as vector control and use of trypanotolerant hosts. A cross-sectional survey aimed at assessing the knowledge, attitude and practices of trypanocidal drug utilization and constraints of trypanosome infection conducted in tsetse suppression and non-suppression areas of South Omo Zone, Ethiopia. The questionnaire based survey was conducted from November 2018 to May 2019. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize the field data obtained from 184 cattle owners. Sixty (60) of the cattle owners were from suppression area and 124 from tsetse non-suppression area. Accordingly, draft oxen and milking cows respectively from tsetse suppression and non-suppression areas were classes of animals which were given priority in trypanocidal drug treatment. About 79.03% and 81.7% of cattle owners respectively from tsetse suppression and non-suppression areas witnessedthat they treat their sick animals by themselves; indicating that veterinarians and other animal health experts have very little role in medication of sick animals. Diminazine aceturate (DA) was the main trypanocidal drug preferred by cattle owners in tsetse suppression area while both DA and Isometamidium chloride (ISM) were used in non-suppression areas. About 83.1% of the respondents from tsetse suppression areas and 86.7% from non-suppression area reported treatment failures following the use of trypanocidal drugs. Moreover, about 79.61% and 86.53% of respondents respectively from tsetse suppression and non-suppression areas observed that drugs obtained from private drug stores were less effective compared to drugs obtained from governmental veterinary clinics. Furthermore, the respondents disclosed that DA was the most horrible trypanocidal drug in showing treatment failures despite high preference by cattle owners. It was also noted that treatment frequency was higherin tsetse suppression areas than non-suppression areas regardless of vector suppression campaign. In conclusion, higher dependency of cattle owners on trypanocidal drugs, limited trypanocidal drug availability in the veterinary pharmaceutical market, frequent trypanocidal drug usage and injection by unskilled herdsmen and owners report on trypanocidal drug treatment failures may point out the issue of trypanocidal drug resistance in the area. Therefore, awareness creation to livestock owners on the effect of misuse of trypanocidal drugs and safe trypanocidal drug usage policy should be put into effect to uphold the effectiveness of currently available trypanocidal drugs.
 Keywords: Trypanosomosis; Trypanocidal Drugs; Tsetse suppression; South Omo Zone; Ethiopia

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Knowledge Attitude and Practices on African Animal Trypanocide Resistance

“…In Ethiopia, the community preferred mainly DA vs. ISM for treatment of AAT (79 vs. 21%), practised overdose, relied on unqualified people to administer treatments and sourced drugs from unauthorized outlets [15]. These findings were reproduced in a recent study in the Omo Zone of South Western Ethiopia [14]. In the same study area (Omo Zone, Ethiopia), DA was mainly used rather than ISM, and most of the animals were overdosed [11].…”

“…Liberalisation of the drug industry in African countries has also been associated with the flooding of the market with fake drugs, which are often so quick to induce trypanocide resistance. Unfortunately, most of these trypanocides are provided by the private sector [15] in comparison to the government offices, which are into administrative support-leaving the farmer at the mercy of businessmen who prioritise profits above animal welfare [14]. It is important to enact strong regulatory measures in the livestock sector for the control and prevention of the spread of trypanocide resistance.…”