Review of Camel Calves Nutrition and Management in Kenya

Camels are important livestock species in the arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) of Kenya. Camels provide milk, meat and serves as means of transport (drawing water, carry make shift houses, elderly people and children) for mobile pastoral communities. They supply milk and meat even during dry and drought periods when other livestock species struggle for their survival. Production systems for the camels are largely extensive with camel husbandry techniques mainly inherited from pastoral traditional knowledge passed down over generations. High calf mortality (about 63%) is a common phenomenon in the pastoral production systems of northern Kenya. A review was conducted to established causes of the high mortality and recommendations developed with a view to reduce mortality to manageable levels.  This review showed that calf colostrum suckling restriction at birth, calf diarrhoea and other diseases, milk competition with calves for household consumption and income generation and limited forages during droughts were among the major causes of camel calf mortality. The review consolidated previous research on camel calves’ nutrition and management and has recommended nutrition and management tips to reduce mortality. Key words: calve mortality, milk competition, colostrum, supplementation, milk replacer. DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/10-8-04 Publication date: April 30th 202

Differences between seven measures of self-reported numbers of clients of female sex workers in southern India: implications for individual- and population-level analysis.

Quantifying sexual activity of sub-populations with high-risk sexual behaviour is important in understanding HIV epidemiology. This study examined inconsistency of seven outcomes measuring self-reported clients per month (CPM) of female sex workers (FSWs) in southern India and implications for individual/population-level analysis. Multivariate negative binomial regression was used to compare key social/environmental factors associated with each outcome. A transmission dynamics model was used to assess the impact of differences between outcomes on population-level FSW/client HIV prevalence. Outcomes based on 'clients per last working day' produced lower estimates than those based on 'clients per typical day'. Although the outcomes were strongly correlated, their averages differed by approximately two-fold (range 39.0-79.1 CPM). The CPM measure chosen did not greatly influence standard epidemiological 'risk factor' analysis. Differences across outcomes influenced HIV prevalence predictions. Due to this uncertainty, we recommend basing population-based estimates on the range of outcomes, particularly when assessing the impact of interventions

Pattern of limb amputation in a Kenyan rural hospital

Causes of limb amputations vary between and within countries. In Kenya, reports on prevalence of diabetic vascular amputations are conflicting. Kikuyu Hospital has a high incidence of diabetic foot complications whose relationship with amputation is unknown. This study aimed to describe causes of limb amputations in Kikuyu Hospital, Kenya. Records of all patients who underwent limb amputation between October 1998 and September 2008 were examined for cause, age and gender. Data were analysed using the statistical package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows Version 11.50. One hundred and forty patients underwent amputation. Diabetic vasculopathy accounted for 11.4% of the amputations and 69.6% of the dysvascular cases. More prevalent causes were trauma (35.7%), congenital defects (20%), infection (14.3%) and tumours (12.8%). Diabetic vasculopathy, congenital defects and infection are major causes of amputation. Control of blood sugar, foot care education, vigilant infection control and audit of congenital defects are recommended