Cattle trypanosomosis: the diversity of trypanosomes and implications for disease epidemiology and control

Trypanosomosis is one of the most significant infectious threats to cattle in sub-Saharan Africa, and one form has also spread to Asia and South America. The disease is caused by a complex of trypanosome species, and the species and strain of parasite can have a profound influence upon the epidemiology of the host–parasite–vector relationships, the severity and course of infection, and, consequently, the implementation and development of control methods. This review will summarise our current knowledge of the relationship between trypanosome species/genotype and the phenotype of disease in cattle, and the implications that this has for ongoing efforts to develop diagnostics, drugs and vaccines for the control of cattle trypanosomosis.