ABSTRACT This dissertation was prepared based on “publishable manuscripts” format of the Sokoine University of Agriculture. The dissertation discusses the composition and seasonal abundance of malaria vector species and disease prevalence in potentially high endemic foci in Morogoro region. Well targeted efforts that embrace area-specific situations, at least in high malaria endemic foci, are needed to preserve realized health gains and achieve elimination. This is because malaria is incr...
ABSTRACT Taenia multiceps is a worldwide in distribution which inhabits the small intestine of dogs, foxes, coyotes and jackals. However, until recently, there were no reports of the occurrence of Taenia multiceps associated ill health in Tanzania in livestock. In this study, the prevalence of Taenia multiceps metacestode (Coenurus cerebralis) as well as other Taenia and Echinococcus metacestodes particularly Cysticercus tenuicollis and hydatid cysts in slab-slaughtered sheep and goats, commu...
ABSTRACT Leech infestations are not common in humans and animals, but occur through infested water by drinking or taking bath. It is endemic in rural areas because of inadequate use of safe and clean water. Extent of the problem in Tanzania is not well known because it is a neglected disease, therefore there is little documentation on the leech infestation. Cross-sectional study was conducted in April and May 2015 to determine prevalence and importance of cattle leech infestations in three vi...
ABSTRACT Malaria continues to be an important disease in the tropics posing a major obstacle to sustainable development. Malaria control is dependent on pyrethroid insecticides yet resistance to these insecticides in the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae is receiving increasing attention because it threatens the sustainability of malaria vector control programs targeted at indoor resting mosquitoes in Western Kenya. Common mechanism of resistance reported to these insecticides is target site i...
ABSTRACT Street children are exposed to environmental, socioeconomic and behavioural factors that increase risk of parasitic infections and are excluded from disease control programmes. The prevalence and intensity of parasitic infections as well as the link between the parasitic infections and anaemia status of these children is not known. Epidemiologic information on parasitic infection among street children in Kenya is required for developing appropriate control programs. This was a compar...
ABSTRACT Schistosomiasis infects approximately 207 million people worldwide with 90% of the cases occurring in Africa. Kato-Katz, is the standard method of S.mansoni diagnosis, however it is characterized by low sensitivity. Another method of diagnosis is the antibody ELISA, which is highly sensitive but lacks specificity. The PCR test is 98% sensitive and 100% specific but it is costly for use in limited resource settings. The high sensitivity and specificity of the PCR makes it a useful gol...
ABSTRACT Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) is recommended first-line treatment for malaria in a number of Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. Recent reports of decline in efficacy of ACT and emergence of ACT resistant Plasmodium falciparum isolates has raised global health concern. The underlying mechanisms for the development of resistance to ACT is however, not fully understood. Naturally acquired immunity to P. falciparum is associated with clinical protection against malaria an...
ABSTRACT Significant advancement achieved in the chemoprophylaxis and chemotherapy of malaria has been pivotal for eventual reduction of malaria prevalence. However, a major setback has been the emergence of resistance to antimalarial drugs. Towards the goal of curbing emergence of resistance, artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACT), is now adopted by many countries as the first-line treatment for malaria. The recently reported cases of resistance to ACT in South East Asia (SEA), have r...
ABSTRACT An estimated 198 million malaria cases were reported worldwide of which 128 million were in African region while 16 million were reported in Kenya by the end of 2013. The prevalence of malaria in Vihiga, Kenya was 52% and this is greatly driven by Plasmodium falciparum drug resistance, ecological and agricultural factors supporting malaria transmission and vector proliferation. Influence of host genetic factors like blood group, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and haemoglobi...
ABSTRACT Four thousand, three hundred and ninety five throat, 4,395 nasal and 58 skin lesion swab-specimens were examined bacteriologically out of which 401 (9.12%) were positive for beta-haemolytic streptococel (GHS) and 11 (0.25%) for non- haenolytic streptococci (NS). On the basis of Lancefield group polysaccharide antigens, the 1solates were classified into groups A, C, D, G and non-groupable BHS strains. On the basis of bacitracin sensitivity and blochemical analysis, these groups and un...
ABSTRACT A laboratory study was carried out to determine quantitatively the degree of compatibility between Biomphalaria glabrata, B. pfeifferi and B. sudanica and Schistosoma mansoni. The effect of host diet and mode of exposure to miracidia, continuous darkness, origin of host species and parasites strains, miracidial dosage level, age and intensity of primary infection in dual infections were examined by measuring snail survival, growth, fecundity, prepatent period, infection rate and cerc...
ABSTRACT Microsporidia cases due to Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Encephalitozoon intestinalis are emerging opportunistic infections associated with a wide range of clinical syndromes in humans. A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of microsporidia spores, Cryptosporidium oocyst and other enteric intestinal parasites from faeces of HIV-positive individuals (with and without diarrhoea) attending the HIV/AIDS Clinics and from HIV-negative individuals and animal sample...
Abstract Background Despite significant improvement in prevention and control over the past decades malaria remains a significant public health concern in Tanzania with 93% of the population being at risk. To prevent malaria infection and promote malaria free zones, understanding the community’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward malaria control are essential. This study therefore aimed at determining the levels of understanding, and attitudes, as well as socio-cultural aspects...
ABSTRACT This study investigated the effect of exposure to crude oil on rats experimentally infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei. Thirty (30) adult male albino rats weighing 165 ± 15.0g were used for the study. They were kept in metal cages in a fly-proof house and fed with proprietary rodent diet and given water ad libitum. The rats were divided into five groups (AE) of six rats each. Groups A and B represented the uninfected-unexposed and infectedunexposed controls respectively, wherea...