Ebhodaghe, Faith I.Okal, Michael N.Kalayou, ShewitBastos, Armanda D.S.Masiga, Daniel K.2022-09-232022-09-232021-11-18Ebhodaghe, F.I.; Okal, M.N.; Kalayou, S.; Bastos, A.D.S.; Masiga, D.K. Tsetse Bloodmeal Analyses Incriminate the Common Warthog Phacochoerus africanus as an Important Cryptic Host of Animal Trypanosomes in Smallholder Cattle Farming Communities in Shimba Hills, Kenya. Pathogens 2021, 10, 1501. https://DOI.org/10.3390/pathogens10111501.2076-081710.3390/ pathogens10111501https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/87320Table S1: Data on tsetse fly bloodmeal hosts and trypanosome infections in the different study-blocks in Shimba Hills, Kenya.Data Availability Statement: The dataset used and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author FIE on reasonable request. DNA sequences of vertebrate species generated during the current study are available in the GenBank under accession numbers: MZ816958-MZ816971.Trypanosomes are endemic and retard cattle health in Shimba Hills, Kenya. Wildlife in the area act as reservoirs of the parasites. However, wild animal species that harbor and expose cattle to tsetse-borne trypanosomes are not well known in Shimba Hills. Using xeno-monitoring surveillance to investigate wild animal reservoirs and sources of trypanosomes in Shimba Hills, we screened 696 trypanosome-infected and uninfected tsetse flies for vertebrate DNA using multiplegene PCR-High Resolution Melting analysis and amplicon sequencing. Results revealed that tsetse flies fed on 13 mammalian species, preferentially Phacochoerus africanus (warthogs) (17.39%, 95% CI: 14.56–20.21) and Bos taurus (cattle) (11.35%, 95% CI: 8.99–13.71). Some tsetse flies showed positive cases of bloodmeals from multiple hosts (3.45%, 95% CI: 2.09–4.81), including warthog and cattle (0.57%, 95% CI: 0.01–1.14). Importantly, tsetse flies that took bloodmeals from warthog had significant risk of infections with Trypanosoma vivax (5.79%, 95% CI: 1.57–10.00), T. congolense (7.44%, 95% CI: 2.70–12.18), and T. brucei sl (2.48%, 95% CI: 0.33–5.29). These findings implicate warthogs as important reservoirs of tsetse-borne trypanosomes affecting cattle in Shimba Hills and provide valuable epidemiological insights to underpin the parasites targeted management in Nagana vector control programs in the area.en© The Author(s) 2021. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.TrypanosomiasisNaganaEpidemiologyPathogenSpill-overReservoirAsymptomatic hostWildlife-livestock interfaceShimba Hills, KenyaCommon warthog (Phacochoerus africanus)Article