Abstract: The introduction and spread of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) into the global human population may have first emerged among humans in the early part of the 20th century. HIV/AIDS is the common cause of death and morbidity among sexually active individuals in sub-Saharan Africa including Ethiopia. The main objective of this study was to assess trends in the prevalence of HIV infection in the selected group of participants in Wonchi Woreda and the Knowledge, Attitude and Prac...
Abstract: Blood is the most important body fluid which is responsible for circulation of important nutrients, enzymes and hormones all across the body.The frequencies of ABO and Rhesus blood group system vary geographically, ethnically and from one population to another. Anemia is a global public health problem affecting both developing and developed countries with major consequences for human health as well as social and economic development. During pregnancy,anemia is an important contribu...
Abstract: Discoveries of huge uranium deposits along the Letlhakane and Serule area in Botswana, led and motivated various researchers to investigate the long term effects of these discov eries. In addition to economic benefits, the possibility of environmental pollution is also high. This study assesses the indoor radon concentration levels in Serule area. Radon ( 222Rn) is of interest because, it is a daughter radionuclide of Radium-226 (226Ra) from the Uranium-238 (238U) decay series and ...
Abstract: Understanding how fluid flow and how solutes disperse in human bodies is crucial in Biomedical Engineering. The study of blood rheology is critical as it may help in detecting, designing a treatment for some blood related diseases and understanding them better. The aims of the present thesis is to study the effect of rheological parameters on blood flow and solute dispersion in a microvessel. Firstly the impact of stress jump condition and heterogeneous reaction on velocity, temper...
Abstract: Maintaining the water quality in the distribution system is crucial to supplying safe drinking water to consumers. The main aim of the study was to analyse physicochemical, bacteriological parameters and investigate prevalence of antibiotic resistant bacteria and their antibiotic resistance genes in the drinking water distribution system in Maun, Botswana. Forty-four water samples were collected at different season interval and were tested for chlorine and turbidity and the results...
Abstract: Waterborne diseases, especially infectious diarrhoea, remain a public health concern particularly in developing countries where many lack access to safe clean water. The quality of water is assessed using bacterial indicators. However, they may not fully imitate the threat from other non-bacterial pathogens like enteric viruses. The aim of the study was to ascertain and establish the viral load, the seasonal and spatial distribution of rotavirus and norovirus (GI and GII) in sewage...
Abstract: Birth weight is one of the major factors that determine the overall future health outcomes. Predicting birth weight can enable medical practitioners to make early obstetric interventions, thus minimising complications associated with low birth weight. Data-mining models are receiving a great deal of attention for making predictions based on a vast amount of low birth data. Low birth weight research has especially focused on identifying the risk factors of low birth weight However, ...
Abstract: Knowledge with respect to adolescents’ intentions to engage in protective sexual behaviours is still deficient in numerous countries around the world, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where HIV prevalence is the highest. Increasing cross-sectional research suggests that the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) is robust in predicting condom use intentions. This study used secondary, baseline data from a study involving 794 in-school adolescents. A structural equation model w...
Abstract: We propose a mathematical model to investigate the effects of information–dependent vaccination behavior on meningitis transmission. The information is represented by means of information index as early proposed by d'Onofrio et al. (Theor. Popul. Biol., 2007). We perform a qualitative analysis based on stability theory, focusing to the global stability of the disease-free equilibrium (DFE) and the related transcritical bifurcation taking place at the threshold for the DFE. Finall...
Abstract: Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a health crisis that is ignored by the developed world and only starts getting attention when there is an outbreak that kills a large population. AIDS associated Kaposi sarcoma (AIDS-KS) and Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) are viral infections which are just two of the many NTDs that require attention. This thesis presents novel within-host ordinary differential equation (ODE) mathematical models in conjunction with application of the optimal contro...
Abstract: As new viruses and new pandemics emerge we face the question as to whether our global health systems are well prepared to deal with them. Non pharma ceutical measures are a key control measure in the battle against infectious diseases especially in the absence of vaccines or when available vaccine quantities are not sufficient. The 2014-2016 West African outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) was the largest and most deadly to date. Contact tracing, following up those who may have b...
Abstract: Mosquitoes account for significant morbidity and mortality globally, with the African region being most affected. In many arid regions, including Botswana, mosquitoes are increasingly becoming problematic, harbouring pathogens and parasites that cause debilitating infectious diseases to differential host species. The risk of mosquito proliferation and burden is accelerated when affected societies have knowledge gaps coupled with climatic mediated global change scenarios. In Bo...
Abstract: Antibiotic resistance has been a growing worldwide public health issue. The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that the search for new antibiotics is slow, while antibiotic resistance is growing. WHO has also declared that antibiotic resistance is one of the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity in the 21st century. Therefore, this review discusses the potential of metal-based drugs as antibacterial agents from the period of the early 2000s to date. The review...
Abstract: The COVID-19 disease burden continues to be high worldwide and vaccines continue to be developed to help combat the pandemic. Acceptance and risk perception for COVID-19 vaccines is unknown in Botswana despite the government's decision to roll out the vaccine nationally. Objectives This study aims to assess the acceptance rate and risk perception of COVID-19 vaccines amongst the general population in Botswana. Methods We interviewed 5300 adults in Botswana from 1-28 February 2021 u...
Abstract: The Botswana Police Pathology unit records show that a total of 368 cases of suicide were reported between 2016 and 2019. A total of 367 of these cases were suicide by hanging while only 1 was of suicide by self-strangulation. Literature shows that suicidal ligature self-strangulation is uncommon and, in most cases, common household items such as scarves, belts, neckties and rope are used. We report an instance where a 25-year-old African male used two black plastic ligatures, each...