TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration i Approval ii Dedication iii Acknowledgement iv Table of contents v List of tables ix List of acronyms x Abstract xi CHAPTER ONE:INTRODUCTION 1 1.0 Introduction 1 1.1 Background of the Study 1 1.1.1 Historically Background 1 1.1.2 Theoretical Background 2 1.1.3 Conceptual Background 3 1.1.4 Contextual Background 3 1.1 Statement of the Problem 4 1.2 Objectives of the Study 5 1.2.1 General Objective 5 1.2.2 Specific Objectives 5 1.3 Research Questions 5 1.4 Scope ...
ABSTRACT Human health depends on reliable access to safe drinking water, but in many developing countries there are problems of accessing it. This is mainly attributed to water pollution, poor infrastructure for potable water treatment and unhygienic practices in water bottling companies. This study was carried out to assess the physico-chemical and microbiological quality of borehole, bottled and municipal water in Harare (Zimbabwe), by evaluating the compliance of each water type with WHO s...
Abstract A field trial was done to examine the efficacy of chloro-nicotinyl aphicides applied as soil applications, and to determine the optimum rate for fipronil, acetamiprid and calypso for control of the tobacco aphid Myzus persicae. The tobacco variety KRK26 was used in this experiment. The plants were initially exposed to natural infestation by the tobacco aphid. At eight weeks after planting (WAP) the plants were artificially infested with cultured aphids after an assessment of nat...
ABSTRACT Cockroaches have become one of the most common pests due to their wide distribution in human dwellings, kitchens, food outlets and the hospital. In hospitals their wide abundancy may be related to poor sanitary conditions, plenty of food sources, environments which are unhygienic and moist shady places. This study was carried out to evaluate the microbial fauna of cockroaches in a hospital environment as proxy to Health acquired infections. Two different species of cockroaches Peripl...
ABSTRACT The study was carried out to determine the effect of Tenolam drug on kidney function in HIV positive patients at Nkayi District Hospital. The study was done from June 2016 to October 2016. This was done by analysing the change in urine protein concentration after the patients were given the drug. A total of thirty individuals were recruited in the study, fifteen females and fifteen males. Age, gender and CD4 counts of the patients were recorded before tenolam administration. Each pat...
ABSTRACT Pseudomonas aeruginosa is gram negative bacterium which causes nosocomial infections in patients and is highly resistant to most antibiotics as it possess numerous mechanisms of resistance. These mechanisms possessed by P. aeruginosa make it difficult to treat in infections thus being of medical concern. A study was carried out to determine the prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility patterns of P. aeruginosa isolated from wound pus and urine samples. A total of 1200 primary culture...
ABSTRACT The impact of industrial effluent discharged into Khami Dam was assessed through physicochemical parameters and also by bio-monitoring of benthic macro-invertebrates. Samples for physico-chemical parameters were measured at three sites over a period of six months and sampling was done once each month. Composite samples of 1000ml for nitrates and phosphates were collected using a beaker on all sites and placed on schott bottles and placed on ice filled cooler boxes and were then take...
ABSTRACT Malts with high extract values, high enzymatic activities and good modification are fundamental to increase the brewing yield and efficiency. To produce malt that meets these requirements, the barley employed must have minimal post-harvest dormancy and be able to germinate rapidly and uniformly. The aims of this study were to assess the changes in seed germination vigour trends and the general storage stability of a Zimbabwean two-row malting barley variety “Hope” as the post-ha...
ABSTRACT Bovine brucellosis is endemic in Zimbabwe and is an important veterinary disease, responsible for large losses in livestock through abortions and still-born calves. It is also a zoonotic disease and as such poses a threat to public health. For this reason, it is important for every farmer to know the status of their herd. This study was carried out to compare the reliability of serological tests with molecular test in the detection of bovine brucellosis. A total of 17 whole blood and...
ABSTRACT Aphids (Myzus persicae nicotianae) cause damage by sucking sap from the plants leading to distortion and wilting of the foliage, and eventually reducing economic yields. In order to minimise losses to viral diseases, it is important to use insecticides in association with fungi to control insect pests in an environmental and ecological friendly way without contaminating the environment. A study was carried out from October, 2013 at Kutsaga Research Station in the laboratory to evalua...
Abstract A study was carried out at the Midlands State University during the month of September 2016, to compare the antibacterial properties of Elephantorrhiza elephantine (Muzezapasi) and Zanthoxylum chalybeum (Mukundanyoka), against those of the commercial drug Azithromycin on Escherichia coli. Plant extracts were purchased, sun dried and ground into fine powders. Azithromycin tablets were also purchased. Escherichia coli bacteria were isolated from the University toilets. Confirmatory tes...
ABSTRACT Pythium root rot possess major threats on float bed seedling productions. It is caused by oomycetes in the Pythium genus. It causes a huge of loss money as well as the seedlings. It is critically important to control this disease before it causes economic losses. A study was carried out from September 2013 to November 2013 at Kutsaga Research Station in the greenhouse. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of metalaxyl + mancozeb from a new source (Citchem) for the co...
ABSTRACT The most important characteristics of drinking water that have to be assured, monitored and conserved are its safety. Water safety is a growing concern as its quality is not thoroughly monitored especially in third world countries due to lack of proper labs and funding. Unsafe water contains a lot of microorganisms that are a threat to health, most of which contain faecal coliforms that cause serious illnesses like gastrointestinal diseases. Due to the present Zimbabwe water status, ...
Abstract The genus Ganoderma Karst. (1881) is the largest and most complex genus of polypore fungi, characterized by the presence of pores instead of the gills on the lower side of the fruiting body. The colonisation of Ganoderma species on trees is noticed by the appearance of their cap shaped, hard, crusty and shiny fruiting bodies. Ganoderma extract have been used for centuries in Asia’s traditional medicine and to date Ganoderma mushrooms are an important source of modern medicinal and ...
ABSTRACT The Namibian Porphyra capensis Kützing was studied as very little was known of its taxonomy, ecology, phylogeny or nutritional status. It was hypothesized that it was phlogenetically related to the South African P. capensis as they share common ancestry. DNA was extracted from thalli and partial sequences obtained from their 18SrDNA and ITS regions. GenBank sequences of interest were incorporated, alignments made and phylogenetic trees were generated using MEGA 5.1. The results show...