ABSTRACT
Trypanocidal drugs are the main agents used for control of African human and animal trypanosomiasis and it is argued that it is therefore more appropriate to consider strategies for integrated disease control rather than integrated control of the vector, the tsetse fly, alone. Eradication of animal trypanosomiasis within a prescribed area, which has been achieved in the past, is only possible following removal of the vector which can in turn only be achieved, except in the rare circumstances of small isolated infestations, by dealing with large areas by a roll-up-the-country approach. Expensive campaigns can usually be justified as the objective should be to treat places once only and prevent reinvasion by natural isolation or development of the land involving removal of fly habitats and hosts. Eradication of the human disease alone by vector elimination is not a realistic objective. Control of both animal and human disease implies regular operations and, except under exceptional circumstances, expensive methods of vector control are inappropriate. The strategy should be, wherever possible, to combine the controlled use of trypanocidal drugs with low cost methods of vector control. Methods which might appropriately be employed under these various circumstances are discussed.
