Anaplasmosis in Uganda. II. Prevalence of bovine anaplasmosis in Uganda

ABSTRACT

The prevalence of bovine anaplasmosis was studied in 320 Zebu cattle randomly selected from three regions of Uganda (Central; Southwestern and Northwestern) using dot-ELISA; Western immunoblotting; rapid card agglutination test (RCAT); capillary tube agglutination test (CAT); complement fixation test (CFT); and parasitological techniques. Dreid blood on Whatman filter paper No.1 was eluted in PBS 0.0Tween 20 prior to testing at an initial dilution of 125. The prevalences of parasitaemia were 25in the central region; 28in the southwestern region; and 35in the northwestern region; and the serological prevalence was lowest in the central and highest in the northwest. Overall; prevalence rates obtained by dot-ELISA (61.9) and Western immunoblotting (62.5) were 1.5 times those obtained by RCAT (41) and three times those obtained by CAT (22.5). The overall prevalence rates obtained by dot-ELISA and Western immunoblotting compared favourably with the CFT data. The present data utilizing dried blood on filter papers indicate that there is a high prevalence of anaplasmosis in those regions of Uganda surveyed; and confirm our observations and those of others that collecting blood on filter papers is a suitable technique for large scale screening and for seroepidemiological studies