ABSTRACT Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is an acute viral disease of small ruminants caused by PPR virus (PPRV). For many years, the disease was mainly confined to West and Central Africa but has now spread southwards to previously PPR-free countries. The disease was first reported in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 2012. The disease causes high morbidities of up to 100 % and mortality rates between 50 and 90% in domestic small ruminants (goats and sheep) leading to the socio economic...
ABSTRACT This study was conducted to assess the polymorphisms of beta-lactoglobulin (-Lg) and kappa-casein (-Cn) genes and determine the effects of -Lg polymorphism on percentage of milk fat and protein contents in indigenous goat breeds found in Tanzania. Blood samples were collected from 22 - 24 unrelated animals for each breed. Genomic DNA was isolated from whole blood samples using Sepa gene extraction kit with some modifications. The -Lg and -Cn genes were amplified using ...
ABSTRACT Begomoviruses are whitefly-transmitted viruses belonging to the family Geminiviridae presenting most devastating threat to food security. This study was initiated to asses cassava mosaic disease (CMD) severity and genetic diversity of DNA-B component of East African cassava mosaic viruses (CMD) that infect cassava plants from main cassava growing regions in Tanzania. The study involved field survey, rolling cycle amplification (RCA) followed by next generation sequencing (NGS). The s...
ABSTRACT Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious disease of cloven hooved animals that continues to occur in Ngamiland District of Botswana although stringent disease control measures have been put in place. This may be due to irrelevance of currently used vaccine strains. In the present study, genetic and antigenic characteristics of SAT2 viruses isolated from outbreaks which occurred in 2011 and 2015 in Ngamiland districtwere examinedin order to determine any mutational changes ...
ABSTRACT This study was conducted to isolate, characterize, thermostabilize and develop an easier and cheap technique for preparation of inactivated and live vaccines against Infectious coryza (IC). Fifty six (56) samples were collected from chicken. Fourty eight percent (27) isolates had phenotypic characteristics suggestive of both pathogenic and non pathogenic Avibacterium species. Fifty nine percent (16) of 27 isolates were catalase negative, oxidase positive and NAD dependent. Moreover, ...
ABSTRACT In the present study, 100 unrelated father-son buccal swab sample pairs from consented Tanzanian population were examined to establish mutation rates using 17 Y-STRs loci DYS19, DYS389I, DYS389II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393, DYS385a, DYS385b, DYS437, DYS438, DYS439, DYS448, DYS456, DYS458, DYS635, and Y-GATA-H4 of the AmpFlSTRYfiler kit used in forensics and paternity testing. Prior to 17 Y-STRs analysis, father-son pair biological relationships were confirmed using 15 autosomal ...
ABSTRACT Background: Malaria infection in pregnancy is an enormous public health problem in Sub-Saharan Africa. In areas of high malaria transmission, P. falciparum infection during pregnancy is usually characterized by malaria related anemia in the mother and placental malaria. This situation has been associated with poor pregnancy outcomes across many populations. The aim of this study was to determine the extent of asymptomatic P. falciparum infection and its relation with anemia in health...
ABSTRACT Arboviruses belong to various families of viruses that are transmitted by arthropods, mainly mosquitoes and ticks causing clinical disease symptoms in humans ranging from febrile illnesses to hemorrhagic fevers. A systematic vector surveillance spanning two months and covering five sites in Kyela district was carried out in order to determine mosquito abundance and evaluate the potential role of Aedes spp in arbovirus transmission in the study area. Mosquitoes were collected, identif...
ABSTRACT Reuse of wastewater for vegetable irrigation is common in developing countries due to its accessibility and being rich in fertilizing elements thus improving crops yield. Regardless of these advantages, the practice plays an important role in transmission of intestinal parasitic helminths to vegetable consumers. This study was conducted to assess farmers’ awareness, perceptions, managerial and consumption practices regarding vegetables irrigated with reused wastewater on health ris...
ABSTRACT Rift Valley fever (RVF) is an acute, zoonotic viral disease, caused by a Phlebovirus belonging to the Bunyaviridae family. RVF virus (RVFV) historically has been responsible for large explosive outbreaks of severe human and animal disease throughout Africa and recently in the Arabian Peninsula. In animals, it mainly affects domestic ruminants such as sheep, goats and cattle. RVFV outbreaks among livestock are economically devastating and often characterized by large sweeping abortion...