Parasite Control

The most commonly used method for control of trypanosomiasis in sub Saharan Africa is based on trypanocidal drugs (chemotherapy). Livestock survive in tsetse infested areas of africa due to extensive use of trypanocidal drugs. Chemotherapy is effective when drugs are properly used to provide cost effective and sustainable approach to Trypanosomiasis control. Trypanocidals can be highly effective provided they are continuously available and treatments are given regularly at appropriate dose rates; but they are often abused by farmers resulting in resistance.

Chemotherapy of trypanosomiasis in domestic animals is at present dependent upon a small number of compounds, namely: homidium, isometamidium, diminazene, quinapyramine and cymelarsan. Most of these compounds have been on the market for about 50 years now and there are reports of drug resistance in many parts of Africa, including Kenya. Furthermore, because of the close chemical relationships between the compounds, the development of resistance to one compound often appears to be associated with cross resistance to others.