CURRENT NOTES. 181 



Crlossina brevipalpis as a probable vector of trypanosomiasis of Cattle 

 in Nyasaland. 



With reference to a remark by Dr. Meredith Sanderson (Bull. Ent. Res. I, 

 p. 302) that large herds of cattle remain healthy in North Nyasa in the presence 

 of G, hrevipalpis. Dr. J. B. Davey writes :— " In 1905 the Government made 

 the experiment of keeping two head of cattle at Masinjiri's, in the Elephant 

 Marsh, 18 miles from Chiromo, where G. hrevipalpis w^as abundant. As these 

 cattle died they were replaced by others from Chiromo, where there was no 

 cattle-disease and no Glossina. I paid a visit to Masinjiri's on the 27th July, 

 1905, and found that a young bull which had been there about three months, had 

 a small number of trypanosomes in its blood ; it was reported dead two days 

 later. At the same visit I examined the second animal there, but found no 

 trypanosomes, as it had only been there two days. I went again on the 

 9th October, and found trypanosomes in a young bull which died on the 

 17th October. On the 18th December, 1905, the sole surviving beast at 

 Masinjiri's was brought back to Chiromo, and the experiment terminated ; its 

 blood showed fairly numerous trypanosomes and it died ten days later. 



" The experiment had been carried on for some time before my arrival at 

 Chiromo, but no observations were made beyond reporting the deaths as they 

 occurred, and I cannot say how many cattle died altogether. So far as I can 

 remember, they used to get sick about two months after being sent to Masinjiri's. 



G, hrevipalpis was constantly found at this place while the experiment was being 

 made.* About the same time I found a very few trypanosomes in the blood of 

 a buffalo which I shot two or three miles out of Chiromo ; these buffalo wander 

 about and almost certainly visit Masinjiri's. From the above observations I 

 think it would be rash to say that cattle remain healthy when exposed to 



G, hrevipalpis J''' 



Dr. Davey also states that Dr. Sanderson appears to have been mistaken in 

 saying that there had been a case of sleeping sickness in North Nyasa, as there 

 is no official record to that effect. As regards the transmission of cattle-disease 

 by G. hrevipalpis, it may be noted that M r. Austen (Handbook of the Tsetse- 

 Hies, p. 91) cites Stuhlmann to the effect that this species is the chief disseminatoi- 

 of Tsetse-fly disease among domestic animals in the German East African 

 littoral, at any rate. It is possible that Dr. Sanderson's observations may 

 indicate that the game in the district between Karonga and the Songwe River is 

 practically free from trypanosomes, in which case it would not be a source of 

 danger to stock even in the presence of Glossina.'\ Further, Mr. S. A. Neave 

 has recently taken G. hrevipalpis inland in German East Africa at the Baka 

 River, on the main road between Mwaya and New Langenburg ; and again, 



* [Up to the present G. hrevipalpis is the only species of tsetse which has been recorded from 

 the Elephant Marsh.— Ed.] 



t [Since the above was written we have been informed by Dr. H. S. Stannus that there have 

 been cases of trypanosomiasis quite recently among the cattle m the district referred to. No 

 specimens of G. morsitans have been received as yet from this area. — Ed.] 



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