Socioeconomic factors and prevalence of trypanosomiasis among the human inhabitants of Gashaka Gumti National Park, Nigeria

The purpose of this investigation was to assess the prevalence of trypanosomiasis and its association with socioeconomic factors among the population of Gashaka Gumti National Park, Serti, Nigeria, utilizing the CATT-Kits test reaction. The data were subjected to analysis by descriptive statistics. Content analysis revealed that occupational exposure, particularly among farmers and civil servants, and age groups >20-50 years (48, 34.0%) and 10-15 years (43, 28.3%) were linked to higher prevalence rates, indicating socioeconomically mediated vulnerabilities. Prevalence rates were highest among farmers (47, 33.6%) and individuals aged >20-50 years (48, 34.0%), suggesting occupation and age as key drivers of infection risk. Results showed that infection rates were higher in Gumti (65) than Selbe (35) for both sexes, with no significant differences by sex or age in statistical terms. However, civil servants showed a borderline significant difference in prevalence rates (χ² = 3.647, p = 0.056). These findings suggest that targeted control measures, including community sensitization and occupational risk reduction strategies, are essential to combat trypanosomiasis in these vulnerable populations.