Trypanosoma evansi: Detection of Trypanosoma evansi DNA in naturally and experimentally infected animals using TBR1 & TBR2 primers

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR-based) assay was evaluated for detection of Trypanosoma evansi DNA in experimentally infected mice and naturally infected camels, sheep and goats using the set of primers TBr1 & TBr2 that amplified 164 bp DNA fragment. The results revealed that PCR-based assay was able to detect T. evansi directly from the blood during both acute and chronic phase of infection in all tested animals and in the blood and tissues of intraperitoneally infected mice depending upon the level of infection in the test samples. PCR was more powerful than CATT/T. evansi and mouse inoculation tests, when detected the infection in mice (24 h) post infection. Present results show that sheep & goats probably play a role in transmission of T. evansi to camels and supported that PCR could be used as a diagnostic tool for epidemiological studies on T. evansi in Egypt.

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► TBR1.2 PCR-based assay was evaluated for detection of T. evansi DNA in Egypt.
► PCR detected acute and chronic animals, and the following of drug treatment.
► It supported the possible role of small ruminants as carrier hosts of T. evansi.
► PCR was more powerful than other tests used, concerning the infection in mice.
► This study recommended using PCR for epidemiological studies on T. evansi in Egypt.