Preliminary observations on the use of the latex agglutination test for detecting circulating trypanosomal antibodies in game animals in the Lambwe Valley

Abstract

The first use of the latex agglutination test (LAT) for determining the frequency of circulating trypanosomal antibodies in a sample of game animals collected in the Lambwe Valley, Kenya, is described. The immunological examination of animals belonging to 9 species revealed an incidence of circulating antibody of 25.5%, which was only slightly higher than, and therefore in close agreement with, the results of a concurrent parasitological survey. It is concluded that the LAT is very suitable for determining the overall incidence of trypanosomal infections in wildlife communities.