African animal trypanosomoses are the main parasitological constraints to livestock
production in many sub-Saharan African countries infested with tsetse flies. A prospective
survey was implemented in Dafinso (Burkina Faso) to assess the effect of deltamethrin
0.005% (VectocidND, CEVA Sante´ Animale) impregnation of cattle on trypanosomes
transmission in cattle. Two herds were involved in the survey. They were watered at two
different waterpoints located on the same river harboring a Guinean riparian forest
infested with two different species of tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossinidae), Glossina palpalis gambiensis Vanderplank and G. tachinoides Westwood. Animals belonging to one of the herds were impregnated with deltamethrin applied with a footbath whereas the other
herd was used as control. The overall incidence of cattle trypanosomoses was reduced
(p = 0.01) from 0.76 (control group) to 0.11 (footbath-treated group). A positive effect of the footbath treatment on packed-cell volume was observed (p < 0.001). The conditions
requested to use a footbath to prevent cattle trypanosomoses are discussed