42 



in the inland parts than on the coast and is practically confined to the 

 summer months. The following species are described :• — Spaniopsis 

 vexans, sp. n. ; S. niarginipennis, sp. n. ; >S. delandi, sp. n. ; S. longi- 

 cornis, sp. n. 



Macfie (J. W. S.)- Babesias's and Trypanosomiasis at Accra, Gold 

 Coast, West Africa. — Ann. Trop.Med. Parasit., Liverpool, ix, no. 4, 

 30th December 1915, pp. 457-494, 2 plates, 10 tables, 6 charts. 



Cases of babesiasis among cattle and sheep have been recorded from 

 Nigeria, the Ivory Coast and the Congo. Examination of the blood of 

 domestic animals at Accra showed that piroplasms occurred in 53 per 

 cent, of the hump-backed cattle, in 40 per cent, of the straight-backed 

 cattle, and in 21 per cent, of the sheep. None were found in pigs 

 and goats. Two species of Piroplasma were met with, but owing to 

 lack of unquestionably uninfected animals, it was not possible to 

 determine the ticks which transmit these parasites. Presumably they 

 are transmitted by one or more of the species collected, viz., Mar- 

 garopus [Boophilus), Amhglomma variegatum and HyalommaaegyptiKm,. 

 One case of canine babesiasis was found at Accra. Dogs commonly 

 become infested with ticks, and it is therefore possible that the disease 

 is prevalent. Twenty per cent, of the brown rats examined showed 

 the presence of a piroplasm, NuttaUia decumani, sp. n., in the blood. 

 Three types of trypanosomes are found in Accra, viz., T. pecaudi, 

 T. vivax and T. jjecorum. Tsetse-flies are very rare in Accra, but are 

 numerous in the surrounding districts, and any animals coming from 

 a distance must be exposed to attack by these insects for the greater 

 part of their journey. It is therefore probable that the trypanosome 

 infections recorded were contracted before reaching Accra. Trypano- 

 somes were found in 92 per cent, of the hump-backed cattle, in 18 per 

 cent, of the straight-backed cattle, and were rare in sheep, pigs and 

 goats. The heavy infection of the hump-backed cattle was doubtless, 

 due to a long journey through infected districts. T. pecaudi {T. brucei 

 of Uganda), the rarest of the three species occurring at Accra, is most 

 fatal to domestic animals in Nigeria and probably in the Gold Coast 

 also. In its behaviour in the tsetse-fly T. pecaudi is said to differ 

 from other polymorphic trypanosomes, development taking place in 

 the gut and proboscis, instead of in the gut and salivary glands. This 

 parasite proved pathogenic to a white rat and to guinea-pigs into which 

 blood from the rat was injected. T. vivax was present in enormous 

 numbers in the blood of cattle examined. It was inoculated, without 

 result, into white rats, guinea-pigs, and a rabbit. Infections by 

 T. pecorion were never heavy. One case of canine trypanosomiasis, 

 due to T. p)ccorum, occurred. Nineteen cases of equine trypanosomiasis 

 were met with, and in all these it was almost certain that infection had 

 taken place in Accra, either by stray tsetse-flies or by some other biting 

 insect such as Stomoxys or Lgperosia. The immunity of mules imported 

 from the Canary Islands is only a partial one and does not protect 

 them from fatal infection by T. pecaudi. This species is invariably 

 fatal to horses, T. vivax being rarely so, while T. pecorum is inter- 

 mediate in this respect. Trypanosomiasis in Accra should be an 

 easily preventible disease, since tsetse-flies do not appear to breed in 

 the immediate vicinity of the town. No precautions, however, are 



