Host range determination of tsetse fly Glossina morsitans submorsitans by bloodmeal analysis in the upper Didessa River valley (Western Ethiopia)

Abstract

Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) was employed to determine the rate of digestion of blood proteins ingested by teneral and non-teneral laboratory reared Glossina morsitans morsitans at different time intervals after feeding. This test showed that non-teneral flies digested the species distinguishing bloodmeal components faster than tenerals. At 48 hr post-feeding, the bloodmeal donor was identifiable in 87.5% of the teneral tsetse and 55.5% of non-teneral tsetse flies. Among 160 bloodmeals of G. m. submorsitans collected from the upper Didessa river valley 54.4% (87/160) were with identifiable hosts, of which warthog accounted for about 52.9 (46/87) of meals, whereas human and buffalo blood accounted for about 21.8% (19/87) and 12.6% (11/87) of the meals, respectively. Others like giraffe, goat, cattle and elephant accounted for few bloodmeals. Thus warthog appeared to be the major host for G. m. submorsitans in the study area.