A trypanotolerant organism is one which is
relatively less affected by
trypanosome infestation.
By host
In humans
In livestock
Some
breeds are known for their trypanotolerance. This is especially important in
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
where a
few particular trypanosomes are major economic and agricultural
pests.
Trypanotolerant livestock breeds
*
N'Dama
N'Dama is a breed of cattle from West Africa. Other names for them include Boenca or Boyenca (Guinea-Bissau), Fouta Jallon, ''Djallonké'' or ''Djallonké cattle'', Fouta Longhorn, Fouta Malinke, Futa, Malinke, Mandingo (Liberia), and N'Dama Peti ...
cattle
*
West African Dwarf goats
The West African Dwarf is a large and variable breed or group of breeds of domestic goat from coastal West and Central Africa, a range extending approximately from Senegal to Congo. It is characterised by achondroplasia or dwarfism, a trait that ...
*
West African Dwarf sheep (Djallonké)
*
Cameroon sheep
The Cameroon or Cameroon Dwarf is a Cameroonian breed of domestic sheep. It belongs to the West African Dwarf group of breeds. Some have been exported to Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its o ...
History of genetic research
Trypanotolerance had previously been achieved through normal livestock breeding in cattle, but genetic analysis was becoming a serious option in the 1980s. The effort that would eventually bear fruit began with a conversation between Peter Brumby - then at the
International Livestock Centre for Africa - and
Morris Soller in 1985. This was followed by the opening of the shortlived International Trypanotolerance Center in
the Gambia
The Gambia,, ff, Gammbi, ar, غامبيا officially the Republic of The Gambia, is a country in West Africa. It is the smallest country within mainland AfricaHoare, Ben. (2002) ''The Kingfisher A-Z Encyclopedia'', Kingfisher Publicatio ...
in 1987 with a seminar on the genome mapping project that would continue beyond the Center itself. The project was then actually completed by the ILRI - the successor to the ILCA - in 2003.
References
{{Parasite-stub
Trypanosomatida
Livestock