ABSTRACT Global crop and energy production are fast dwindling inversely to population growth. Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) yield has reduced worldwide due to soil infertility which can be reversed through application of chemical fertilizers. The chemical fertilizers used to ameliorate nitrogen, phoshorus and potassium are expensive and cause both deleterious physico‒chemical modification of soil and water mass eutrophication. The common bean has ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen s...
ABSTRACT Diarrhoeal diseases in Kenya are among the five main causes of mortality in children younger than five years. Bacterial diarrhoea has been reported to account for up to 30 % of all cases of infantile diarrhoea. Among children of age five years and below, diarrhoeagenic E. coli (DEC) such as enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) are the most important enteric pathogens and are responsible for 30 to 40 % of all the diarrhoeal...
ABSTRACT Hepatitis, especially B, C and Syphilis co infections are very common among HIV infected individuals and their manifestation is a growing public health concern. These diseases share similar modes of transmission with HIV. However, at earlier stages these infections are myriads that mirrors one another hence they are easily missed. Due to this particular challenge, the infection prevalence of the cases is not fully known in most areas of the country, with rural settings of Nyandarua ...
ABSTRACT While foodborne diseases remain an important public health problem worldwide, one of the most significant food safety hazards is associated with those from animals. Food borne infections and illnesses are a major international health problem with consequent economic reduction and deaths. Meat is considered the most important source of proteins consumed by humans, yet most perishable. For highly perishable foodstuffs such as fresh red meat, the threat of food poisoning is particularl...
ABSTRACT Ralstonia solanacearum (RS) is the causal agent of bacterial wilt (BW) which affects over 200 species of tropical and subtropical plants. The study of these bacteria is of economic importance since it poses a big threat to the solanaceous crops. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of inorganic compounds treatment(s) namely: ChalimTM (Calcium hypochrolite), Metham sodium (MS) (positive control) and negative control (Co) versus organic compound such as Brassica s...
ABSTRACT Cotyledon explants from mature groundnut seeds (Arachis hypogaea L.) adapted to eastern and southern Africa, were optimized to obtain adventitious shoot buds with high frequencies. This was done using commercial bleach (jik, active ingredient sodium hypochlorite (3.5% v/v NaOCl) at different concentrations and exposure time as compared to 0.1% mercuric chloride. Results showed that 0.525% NaOCl and 1.050% NaOCl concentrations within an exposure time of 10-20 minutes were the optimum ...
ABSTRACT Molecular studies of ESβL-producing bacteria isolated from clinical samples was determined as well as the effects of medicinal plants on the isolates. The study was conducted from September 2013 to September 2015. A total of 480 bacterial isolates (250 from urine, 110 from wound swab & 120 from HVS & US) were used. The knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) of health workers in Imo State towards multiple antibiotic resistant bacterial isolates and extended spectrum beta-lactamase ...
ABSTRACT Fish contain omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA’s), vitamins and other micronutrients. However, fish and seafood rank among foods highly associated with food borne disease outbreaks especially in poor hygienic conditions while handling or processing foods. The objectives of this study were to determine the risk factors associated with fish contamination, levels of microbial contamination and molecular profiles of bacterial isolates. In addition, antimicrobial response patter...
ABSTRACT Sustainable mango production will rely increasingly on alternatives to conventional chemical insecticides that are environmentally friendly for the management of fruit flies. The use of microbial control agents such as fungi in pest suppression is considered suitable since micro-organisms usually exert low environmental impact and are target specific. Application methods of bio-pesticides in the environment, which use minimal amount of inoculum is currently under improvement from inu...
ABSTRACT Neisseria gonorrhoea has progressively developed resistance to previously used drugs and recently to fluoroquinolones. Currently, there have been reports of emergency of N. gonorrhoea strains with reduced susceptibility and some exhibiting extensive multidrug resistant to the cephalosporin class of antibiotics that remains to be the remaining option for management of gonorrhoea. In Kenya, published reports regarding the drug susceptibility of N. gonorrhoea is scanty because of lack o...
ABSTRACT Crickets are drawing interest as sustainable source of protein for food and feed worldwide. However, there is little information on microbial quality of edible crickets thus the need for a profound insight into their safety. The objective of the study was to determine the microbial load of two edible cricket species Scapsipedus marginatus and Gryllus bimaculatus and to evaluate the efficiency of different processing methods (boiling, sun-drying, freeze-drying, snap freezing and deep...
ABSTRACT HIV infection continues to be among the leading causes of global mortality. Genital ulcer disease increases the risk of HIV infection. Ulcerative STDs such as Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) and syphilis cause breaks in the skin or mucous membranes, disrupt barriers that provide protection againstHIV-1 infections. It has been shown that HSV-2 is the single most important sexually transmitted infection that is fueling the HIV epidemic in Africa.. There is also an estimated two to ...
ABSTRACT Diarrhoea is one of the leading causes of illness and death among children in developing countries, where an estimated 1.3 billion episodes and 4 to 10 million deaths occur each year in children less than 5 years of age. The study envisioned to determine the genetic basis of extended spectrum β-lactam (ESBL) resistance in E. coli isolated from children aged below 5 years attending Thika Level 5 Hospital Kiambu County in Kenya. Faecal samples were obtained from 384 children present...
ABSTRACT Plant extracts with medicinal value have been used to treat many diseases that can either be bacterial, fungal or parasitic among many others. Plants with medicinal value produce certain chemical elements known as phytochemicals that have antimicrobial activity. Enteric bacterial pathogens are disease-causing microorganisms that are usually located in the intestinal tracts of either animal or human beings. The pathogenic members are usually associated with infections that are charact...
ABSTRACT Animal African Trypanosomiasis (AAT) is a major constraint to livestock health and production. The disease has for years continued to contribute towards economic and developmental setback in the sub-Saharan Africa. Tsestse flies belonging to Glossina species are the main vectors for transmission. They are attracted to livestock and wildlife hosts where they feed on blood meal contaminated by trypanosomes, the disease causing parasites. Host ageing urine has been shown to be the sourc...