Study of the vectorial capacity of Glossina palpalis palpalis related to its digestive physiology and rearing conditions

The tsetse midgut environment constitutes the early barrier in the development of the parasite in his insect host. Factors such as trypanolysins, midgut lectins and agglutinis have been shown by various authors to influence the establishment of a procyclic trypanosome population. So far, the digestive process has not been considered as a possible factor affecting the survival and differentiation of ingested trypanosomes. This paper deals with our investigations on the digestive physiology of Glossina palpalis palpalis. The course of the digestive cycle, the purification and partical characterization of midgut trypsin, the major proteolytic enzyme, are described. The possible interaction of the digestive activity and trypanosome development is discussed. (author). 20 refs, 8 figs, 3 tabs