Abstract: Multiplicity of infection (MOI) and genetic diversity of P. falciparum infections are important surrogate indicators for assessing malaria transmission intensity in different regions of endemicity. Determination of MOI and diversity of P. falciparum among asymptomatic carriers will enhance our understanding of parasite biology and transmission to mosquito vectors. This study examined the MOI and genetic diversity of P. falciparum parasite populations circulating in Mbita, a region ...
Abstract Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is an important pathogen in immunocompromised individuals. In Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) patients, it causes end organ diseases leading to increased morbidity and mortality in the population due to down-regulation of the immune system of the affected individuals. The prevalence of Cytomegalovirus infection is high in the general population. Its prevalence in Kenya has been found to be above 93% (CMV-IgG) in HIV infected children. Despite, a high Cytomega...
ABSTRACT Background: HIV-2 is comparatively less pathogenic with slow progression of infection to clinical disease and consequently there is less of information on the occurrence of HIV-2 associated disease than HIV-1. We hereby describe some laboratory profiles of individuals presenting with HIV-2 and dual HIV-1/2 related AIDS at the University College hospital in Ibadan over a period of seven years. Methodology: Blood samples from patients presenting with the AIDS defining illness at the U...
ABSTRACT Infectious diseases have become problematic throughout the world, threatening individuals who come into contact with pathogens responsible for transmitting diseases. Pneumoccocal pneumonia, a secondary bacterial infection follows an influenza A infection, responsible for morbidity and mortality in children, elderly and immuno–comprised groups. The aims of this Thesis are to; develop a mathematical model for within–host co–infection of influenza A virus and pneumococcus, model ...
ABSTRACT Livelihoods of the Maasai people in Northern Tanzania is sustained by Agriculture, specialising mostly in pastoral livestock production which is threatened by vector-borne diseases of which trypanosomosis is one of them. The vulnerability of these communities to trypanosomosis is enhanced by their interaction with wild animals due to their proximity to wildlife interface areas which are highly infested with ticks and tsetse flies. A study was carried out from June 2015 to March 20...
ABSTRACT The AIDS pandemic and discovery of HIV, has produced a cohort of patients that thrust immunodeficiency and its associated infections into the lime light. Some opportunistic infections are indicators of HIV infection and are termed AIDS defining illnesses by the center for disease control and prevention. This study assesses the relationship between markers of HIV disease progression (AIDS defining illnesses) and CD4 lymphocyte count. Sputum samples of 234 HIV positive patients were an...
In most parts of Cameroon particularly the Menoua Division, common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is usually consumed immediately after harvest or after a few months of storage. Contamination of common bean by fungi usually occurs in the field and during storage. It is possible that the incidence of food contamination by fungi varies between field and storage. The study aimed at determining the incidence of common bean infection by fungi during harvest and during storage. Six common bean cultiv...
ABSTRACT Tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossinidae), which are the major vectors of human and animal trypanosomes, harbour bacterial gut symbionts Wigglesworthia glossinidia, Wolbachia pipientis and Sodalis glossinidius in close association with trypanosomes. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence, temporal variation and strain diversity of these endosymbionts in G. austeni and G. pallidipes from the Kenyan coast. The co-relation between symbiont and trypanosomes infection wa...
Abstract Background Undernutrition and anaemia remains to be a major public health problem in many developing countries, where they mostly affect children. Intestinal parasitic infections are known to affect both growth and haemoglobin levels. Much has been reported on the impact of geohelminths on anaemia and undernutrition, leaving that of Schistosoma mansoni not well studied. Therefore this study intended to determine the association between S.mansoni infections, anaemia and undernutrition...
Abstract: The present study was intended to investigate phytochemical analysis and antioxidant activities of endophytic fungi isolates from red beetroot (Beta vulgaris L. )Leaf and Root peels . The red beet leaf and root samples were as potential source of endophytic fungi. The surface of samples were disinfectant. Fungal culturing and identifications of genera were made according to fungal identification manual. The phytochemical screening of methanolic extracts of Endophytic fungal isolate...
ABSTRACT East Coast Fever (ECF) is a tick borne disease endemic in the North Rift region of Kenya. The ECF infections lead to substantial economic loss to smallholder dairy farmers from veterinary costs incurred in using prophylactics and value loss associated with animal mortality and production decline during disease infection. Traditionally, prophylactic strategy of choice is application of acaricide in communal dips and hand spraying, but effectiveness of the strategy is a factor of good...
ABSTRACT A comprehensive immunological survey of malaria in rural and urban populations in Ghana is reported. Sera from Ghanaians resident in Ghana and Ghanaian students resident in the United Kingdom and Germany, pregnant women, blood donors and from patients with acute malaria, nephrotic syndrome, tropical splenomegaly, Burkitt's lymphoma, schistosomiasis, onchocerciasis and tuberculosis were included. Control sera were obtained from healthy adult Caucasians, Caucasians with connective tiss...
Abstract There is limited data on comparative disposition to cervical cancer among HPV infected women in Kenya. We aimed to determine the distribution of HPV infection, cervical abnormalities and infections commonly reported on cervical pap smears among both HIV positive and HIV negative women attending a reproductive health clinic at the largest national hospital in Kenya. A total of 187 women aged 18 to 50 years attending the reproductive clinic at Kenyatta National Referral Hospital in Na...
ABSTRACT Aflatoxins are fungal metabolites which are toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic and thus cause undesirable effects on animal and human health when ingested with feed or foodstuffs. Aflatoxin producing fungi may occur in certain food products in form of spores, and thus when conditions are favourable, the fungi germinate and may produce aflatoxin in varied amounts. Ingestion of higher dose of aflatoxin (Codex Commission upper limit is 10ppb), may result in aflatoxicosis which manifests ...
ABSTRACT East Coast fever (ECF) caused by Theileria parva and African animal trypanosomosis (AAT) caused by some Trypanosoma species are the most devastating cattle diseases that affect cattle productivity in Eastern, central and Southern Africa including Tanzania. A study was conducted in Monduli district in the Maasai steppe ecosystem of Tanzania to determine the prevalence of infections during the dry season when there is increased interaction between livestock and wildlife as a result of...