Abstract / Summary
The genus Trypanosoma includes several protozoans that cause infections of both medical and veterinary importance. Human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), caused by Trypanosoma brucei gambiense and Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, and human American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease), caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, are neglected tropical diseases that affect millions of residents of Africa and Latin America as well as of other parts of the world including West Asia. A multitude of trypanosomes, such as Trypanosoma evansi, Trypanosoma vivax, and Trypanosoma congolense, are pathogenic for various classes of vertebrates, from fish to mammals. The aim of this systematic review is to provide information on the epidemiology and distribution of Trypanosoma spp. in 18 countries of West Asia whereby published information was retrieved from 75 scientific papers published in the period 1971–2024. We found 25 Trypanosoma spp. of both known and yet unknown pathogenicity reported from 13 countries in the region: Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Syria, Türkiye, and the United Arab Emirates. No case of human trypanosomiasis has been published thus far from these countries. Nearly 80% (61 out of 75) of all the available publications were dedicated to the investigation of Trypanosoma spp. in mammals, primarily livestock (camels and cattle in particular) and pets. Trypanosoma evansi can be considered the most widely studied pathogenic microorganism within the genus Trypanosoma in the region, with 46 papers devoted to this pathogen. Notably, 60% of the screened publications emanated from just two countries, namely Iraq and Saudi Arabia. The reported diversity of trypanosomes highlights the complexity of their transmission and host interactions in the region, with important implications for animal and human health and food security, underscoring the need for coordinated One Health surveillance and interventions.