Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-8bhkd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-18T04:27:01.875Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Further observations on the relationship and distribution of Schistosoma margrebowiei and S. leiperi in central southern Africa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 June 2009

R. J. Pitchford  and
B. Wolstenholme
R. J. Pitchford
Affiliation:
Bilharzia Field Unit, S. A. Medical Research Council, Nelspruit, South Africa
B. Wolstenholme
Affiliation:
Head, Serology Unit, Tropical Disease Department, S. A. Institute for Medical Research, Johannesburg
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

A further survey in East Caprivi, Chobe National Park, Okavango swamps and Kavango was undertaken in June 1976. No evidence of lechwe schistosomes was found in droppings of African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) nor baboons (Papio ursinus) living in lechwe habitats. It was thought that they were not capable of spreading or maintaining these parasites outside the confines of the known distribution of Kobus sp. The role of goats was equivocal but probably they too are poor hosts.

Kavango, an endemic area of S. haematobium and S. mansoni, was thought to be free of all animal schistosomes, thus confirming the hypotheses that (1) cattle and goats are poor hosts of the lechwe schistosomes and (2)S. mattheei was blocked from entering the territory by the presence of lechwe schistosomes in the surrounding areas. Evidence of schistosomes was not found in cattle and goats at Maun for the same reasons. The prevalence of S. mansoni at Maun has increased alarmingly over the past 20 years with a simultaneous disappearance of lechwe from the area. S. margrebowiei and S. leiperi eggs were found in lechwe and tsessebe droppings some 80 km north of Maun.

A high proportion of children with negative excreta from “non-endemic” areas in East Caprivi had positive CFT and/or skin tests, suggestive of exposure to lechwe schistosomes resulting in a possible immunity to S. mansoni and S. haematobium.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Helminthology , Volume 51 , Issue 4 , December 1977 , pp. 327 - 336
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1977

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Carmichael, I. H., Patterson, L., Van Rensburg, L. J., Biggs, R. C. (1977) Schistosomes from wild ruminants in Botswana. Onderstepoort Journal of veterinary Research (in press).Google Scholar
de Meillon, B. (1956) Research on human bilharziasis in South Africa. Medizinische Klinik, 16, 20 04. English translation.Google Scholar
Dinnik, J. A. and Dinnik, N. N. (1965) The schistosomes of domestic ruminants in East Africa. Bulletin of epizootic Diseases of Africa, 13, 341–359.Google Scholar
Geldenhuys, P. J., Hallet, A. F., Visser, P. S. and Malcolm, A. C. (1967) Bilharzia survey in the Eastern Caprivi, Northern Bechuanaland, and Northern South West Africa. South African Medical Journal, (08.) 767–771.Google ScholarPubMed
Graber, M. (1969) Helminthes parasites de certain animaux domestiques et sauvages du Tchad. Bulletin of epizootic Diseases of Africa, 17, 403–428.Google Scholar
Janz, G. J. and Carvalho, A. M. de (1956) Subsidios para o conhecimento dos bilharzioses em Angola. Anais Instituto de Medicina tropical (Lisbon), 13, 597–613.Google Scholar
le Roux, P. L. (1931a) Notes on the more important worms of cattle, sheep and pigs in Northern Rhodesia. Annual Bulletin Department of animal Health, Northern Rhodesia 1931, 9–24.Google Scholar
le Roux, P. L. (1931b) List of helminths collected from mammals and birds in the Mazabuka area Northern Rhodesia. Annual Report Department of animal Health, Northern Rhodesia 1931 Appendix B, 31–34.Google Scholar
le Roux, P. L. (1933) A preliminary note on Bilharzia margrebowiei a new parasite of ruminants and possibly man in Northern Rhodesia. Journal of Helminthology, 11, 57–62.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pitchford, R. J. (1974) Some preliminary observations on schistosomes occurring in antelope in central southern Africa. Rhodesian veterinary Journal, 4, 57–61.Google Scholar
Pitchford, R. J. (1976) Preliminary observations on the distribution, definitive hosts and possible relation with other schistosomes, of Schistosoma margrebowiei, le Roux 1933 and Schistosoma leiperi, le Roux, 1955. Journal of Helminthology, 50, 111–123.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pitchford, R. J. and du Toit, J. F. (1975) The shedding pattern of three little known African schistosomes under outdoor conditions. Annals of tropical Medicine and Parasitology, 70, 181–187.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pitchford, R. J. and Schutte, C. H. H. (1967) Bilharzia in non-endemic areas in relation to migration. Transactions of the royal Society of tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 61, 217–220.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pitchford, R. J. and Visser, P. S. (1975) A simple and rapid technique for quantitative estimation of helminth eggs in human and animal excreta with special reference to Schistosoma sp. Transactions of the royal Society of tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 69, 318–322.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pitchford, R. J., Visser, P. S., Pienaar, U. de V., Young, E. (1973) Observations on the ecology of Schistosoma mattheei, Veglia & le Roux 1929, in portion of the Kruger National Park and surrounding areas. Journal of the South African veterinary Association, 44, 405–420.Google Scholar