Review on the Molecular Tools for the Understanding of the Epidemiology of Animal Trypanosomosis in West Africa

The epidemiology of animal trypanosomosis around Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso, West Africa) benefited a lot in the last years from the progress of molecular tools. The two most used molecular techniques were the polymerase chain reaction for the diagnosis of the disease in cattle and the charac-terization of the trypanosomes in the host and the vector on one hand, and the microsatellite DNA polymorphism in tsetse flies to study the intraspecific genetic variability of the vector on the other hand. The results obtained in the Sideradougou area during a recent two year survey with these techniques, associated with many other georeferenced informations concerning vector and cattle distribution, natu-ral environment, landuse, ground occupation, livestock management, were combined in a Geographical Information System. This new approach of a complex pathogenic system led to a better evaluation of the risk of trypanosome transmission. Key words: African animal trypanosomosis- epidemiology- polymerase chain reaction- microsatellite DNA-Glossina- Trypanosoma sp. Animal trypanosomosis represents a serious problem in most of Africa and also in certain zones of South America and Asia. The control method