Population structure of Gibberella xylarioides Heim and Saccas in Ethiopian forest coffee (Coffea arabica L.) systems

Coffee wilt caused by Gibberella xylarioides (Fusarium xylarioides) is a troublesome soil borne disease of Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica L.) in Ethiopia. It has been known to be prevalent and severe in plantation, garden and semi-forest coffee production systems in that order of importance. A number of recent reports have also indicated that the disease is equally damaging coffee trees with varying intensities thereby endangering the conservation of wild coffee genetic resources in forest coffee systems of the country. However, the reasons for the disease upsurge in the forest remain speculative. Thus, population structure of coffee wilt pathogen was studied by cross inoculating 12 accessions with four isolates collected in the four forest sites, namely, Bonga, Berhane-Kontir and Yayu (southwest) and Harenna (southeast) of Ethiopia. A pathogenic isolate ‘Gx11’ and a moderately resistant coffee cultivar cv. 7440, both from plantation were included as respective standard checks. The cultural and morphological characteristics of 24 isolates from the forests were compared with six strains collected from semi-forest and plantation coffee. The cultural appearance of most isolates from southwest was generally similar in pigments, aerial and radial growths but relatively different from those isolates collected in the Southeast forest site (Harenna). The result of coffee accession by isolate interactions showed that accessions of Harenna (P4, P6 and P11) were resistant to almost all isolates (except to its isolate) with low mean percent seedling deaths (< 31%) while Bonga (P27) and Berhane-Kontir accessions (P34 and P38) were highly susceptible to all isolates with higher seedling deaths of 79.2 to 85.7%. The Harenna isolate was most aggressive (78.7%) followed by Bonga ‘B23’ and Yayu ‘Y21’ isolates which were as aggressive as the one from plantation coffee ‘G11’. In conclusion, the fungus population structure in the forest coffee sites have basically similar cultural and morphological characteristics of the species G. xylarioides (F. xylarioides) with certain differences between southwest and southeast in colony growth nature, pigmentation and aggressiveness. The study evidenced that the pathogen strains in the forest coffee are equally or even more aggressive than those strains in other coffee production systems, thus rapidly threatening Arabica coffee gene pool of Ethiopia.Keywords: Aggressiveness, colony growth, forest coffee, Fusarium xylarioides, coffee production systems, host-pathogen interactionsAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(33), pp. 5157-516

A qualitative study of vulnerability to HIV infection: Places and persons in urban settings of Ethiopia

Background: HIV continues to differentially affect specific population group and geographic locations in the world. Often individual risk behaviors are associated with vulnerability to HIV infection. However, such notion often overlooks the broader context of social determinants of the infection. Such determinant is broader than personal attributes and includes diverse social factors that contribute to vulnerability to as well as prevention of HIV infection. This study explores the social determinants for HIV infection in urban settings of Ethiopia.Methods: A qualitative study employing Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and In-Depth Interviews (IDIs) was conducted in six purposively selected cities of Ethiopia. FGDs and IDIs were tape recorded and fully transcribed. Transcripts were coded, categorized and analyzed using thematic analysis.Results: Findings show that it is not only people who are vulnerable, but specific places in urban settings where they reside. Vulnerability of places are linked to overcrowding, being hub of in-migrants and transistors, and with limited availability of services and infrastructure for its residents Majority of residents in such places were daily laborers, female sex workers, students who are living away from family, widows, separated and divorced women, those who work in restaurants and engaged in petty trade were found to be relatively more vulnerable group of population. They were also found to have weakened social controls and restraints that facilitate vulnerability.Conclusion: Every city has settings that are relatively more vulnerable as compared to others and there are population groups that are particularly vulnerable to HIV infection. Mitigating the spread of HIV infection requires mapping vulnerable section of the city and targeting vulnerable group of population makes interventions effective. Moreover, HIV intervention in urban settings calls for a multi-sectoral response. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 2016;30(3):105-111]Keywords: HIV, social determinant of health, place, person, JS

Vaccination timeliness and associated factors among children aged 12–23 months in Debre Libanos district of North Shewa Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

BackgroundGlobally, vaccination is one of the most cost-effective interventions in promoting child survival, preventing 2–3 million child deaths annually from vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs). In Ethiopia, timely vaccination is stated as key to the prevention of unnecessary childhood mortality from measles, pneumonia, diarrheal diseases, and other VPDs. However, Ethiopia ranked fifth among the ten countries with the most unprotected children. Furthermore, previous vaccine timeliness studies produced widely disparate results. As a result, it was suggested that more research be conducted to investigate the potential factors behind the high proportion of untimely vaccination. Therefore, this study was intended to explore the association between different factors and the proportion of vaccination timeliness administered under the Expanded Program on Immunization in Debre Libanos district, Ethiopia.MethodsA community-based cross-sectional study design was employed from 1 May to 30 May 2021 among children aged 12 to 23 months with their mother/caregiver, who had started vaccination and had vaccination cards in the Debre Libanos. Simple random sampling techniques and pretested semi-structured questionnaires were used for data collection. At last, a multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with the vaccination timeliness.ResultIn this study, 413 children aged 12 to 23 months were interviewed with their mother/caregiver. Overall, 33.7% [95% CI (29.1–38.3)] of children received their vaccines timely. Having a female child [AOR: 2.9, 95% CI: 1.58–5.35], mother/caregiver attending primary [AOR: 6.33, 95% CI: 2.66–15.06] and secondary/above education [AOR: 5.61, 95% CI: 2.41–13.04], sufficient vaccination knowledge [AOR: 3.46, 95% CI: 1.87–6.38], mother/caregiver with least hesitant [AOR: 3.35, 95% CI: 1.51–7.41] and middle hesitant [AOR: 1.89, 95% CI: 1.05–3.58], utilization of ANC [AOR: 2.89, 95% CI: 1.32–6.33], and giving birth at health facility [AOR: 4.32, 95% CI: 1.95–9.59] were the factors independently associated with vaccination timeliness.ConclusionIn comparison to Ethiopia’s existing vaccination coverage, the proportion of children immunized at the recommended time interval is low in the study district. Policymakers should prioritize vaccine timeliness and integrate it into childhood vaccination strategies

Distribution of HLA-DQ risk genotypes for celiac disease in Ethiopian children

Most patients with celiac disease are positive for either HLA-DQA1*05:01-DQB1*02 (DQ2.5) or DQA1*03:01-DQB1*03:02 (DQ8). Remaining few patients are usually DQA1*02:01-DQB1*02 (DQ2.2) carriers. Screenings of populations with high frequencies of these HLA-DQA1-DQB1 haplotypes report a 1% to 3% celiac disease prevalence. The aim was to determine the prevalence of HLA-DQ risk haplotypes for celiac disease in Ethiopian children. Dried blood spots collected from 1193 children from the Oromia regional state of Ethiopia were genotyped for HLA-DQA1 and DQB1 genotyping using an asymmetric polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and a subsequent hybridization of allele-specific probes. As references, 2000 previously HLA-genotyped children randomly selected from the general population in Sweden were included. DQ2.2 was the most common haplotype and found in 15.3% of Ethiopian children, which was higher compared with 6.7% of Swedish references (P P trans genotype encoded by DQA1*05-DQB1*03:01 in combination with DQ2.2 occurred in 3.6% of Ethiopian children, which was higher compared with 1.3% of Swedish references (P P = .3504). The frequency of HLA risk haplotypes for celiac disease is very similar in Ethiopian and Swedish children. This finding of importance will be useful in future screening of children for celiac disease in Ethiopia

Antenatal depression and its predictors among HIV positive women in Sub-Saharan Africa; a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundAntenatal depression in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) positive pregnant women can have significant adverse effects on both the mother and newborns, yet it is often overlooked in pregnancy care in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Despite this, there is limited data on the combined prevalence of antenatal depression and its predictors among HIV-positive women in the region.ObjectiveTo assess the pooled prevalence of antenatal depression and its associated factors among HIV-positive women in SSA.MethodsAll primary cross-sectional studies published before 1st January/2024, were included. We conducted searches in relevant databases; PubMed, HINARI, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Psychiatry Online, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. The Joanna Briggs Institute checklist was used to critically appraise the selected studies. To assess heterogeneity among the studies, we utilized the I2 test. Publication bias was evaluated using a funnel plot and Egger’s test. The forest plot was used to present the combined proportion of antenatal depression and odds ratio, along with a 95% confidence interval.ResultsThe pooled prevalence of antenatal depression among HIV-positive women in Sub-Saharan Africa was found to be 30.6% (95% CI, 19.8%-41.3%). Factors significantly associated with antenatal depression among HIV-positive women in SSA included being unmarried (AOR: 3.09, 95% CI: 1.57 – 6.07), having a previous history of depression (AOR: 2.97, 95% CI: 1.79 – 4.91), experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) (AOR: 2.11, 95% CI: 1.44 – 3.09), and experiencing stigma (AOR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.05 – 1.76).ConclusionHigh prevalence of antenatal depression among HIV-positive women in SSA underscores the need for prioritizing identification and management. Interventions addressing factors like IPV and stigma, along with training for healthcare providers in recognizing symptoms and providing support, are recommended.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42024508236

Status of Fusarium head blight on wheat fields in Southwestern Ethiopia

Status of Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) had thoroughly assessed on 52 soft wheat fields from 5 districts within 3 zones of Oromia, Ethiopia. The results showed FHB was 93.9% prevalent with significantly varied levels of incidences (among zones) and severity (among districts and zones). The highest incidence of 38.7 and 26.0% had been recorded in Buno-Bedele and Jimma zones. Correspondingly, the highest field-severity and FHB-index of 28.2 and 13.9% had been recorded in Buno-Bedele. Besides, the 2 mostly grown Danda’a and Digalu varieties were vulnerable to FHB sustaining 32.3 and 30.5% incidence, 21.8% and 21.7% field-severity, and 10.5% and 8.8% FHB-index. The variation in FHB intensity had mostly influenced by altitude, tillage frequency before sowing, and rainfall received during flowering to hard-dough stages. This study reveals evidence that FHB is becoming an important disease to wheat in Southwestern Ethiopia (SWE). Thus, demands an intervention to reduce its probable risk to wheat across SWE

Heterosis, Combining Ability and Heritability for Resistance to Coffee Wilt Disease in Arabica Coffee

አህፅሮት የቡና ምርትና ምርታማነት ከሚቀንሱ የቡና በሽታዎች መካከል የቡና ግንድ አድርቅ በሽታ ከፍተኛውን ድርሻ ይይዛል፡፡ ይህን በሽታ በተለያየ መጠን የመቌቌም ችሎታ ያላቸው የቡና ጀኖታይፖች በመጠቀም የዘር ውርስ ሂደቱን  ወይም የመቌቌም ስነባህሪውን በማጥናት በሽታውን ለመከላከል የሚያስችል የመሻሻያ መንገዶችን ለመቀየስ ጥናት ማድረግ  አስፈላጊ በመሆኑ የምርምር ስራው ተካሂዷል፡፡ ይህ ጥናት ሰምንት የእናት ቡና ጀኖታይፖችንና ከነዚህ የተገኙ  28 የመጀመሪያ ድቃዮችን  እንዲሁም አንድ በበሽታው የሚጠቃ ማነፃፀሪያ በመጠቀም ተካሂዷል፡፡ በ2007/8 ዓ.ም  በጥናቱ ላይ የተካተቱት  የቡና ጀኖታይፖች ለበሽታው ያላቸውን አቌም በጅማ ግብርና ምርምር የእፅዋት ጥበቃ ግሪን ሃውስና ላብራቶሪ ውስጥ በመከተብ  ተገምግመዋል፡፡ በሽታውን በተከተቡ ችግኞች ላይ የደረቁ የቡና ችግኖች ብዛት በፐርሰንት፤ የበሽታ ምልክት የሚታይበት የጊዜ ርዝመት፤በበሽታው የረገፉና ወደ ቢጫነት የተለወጡ የቅጠል ብዛት መረጃዎችን በመውሰድ የተለያዩ ስታስቲካዊ ዘዴዎችንና ፓኬጆችን በመጠቀም የመረጃ ትንተና ተደርጓል፡፡ በዚህ ጥናት መሰረት የደረቁ ችግኖች ብዛት በመቀነስ፤ የበሽታ ምልክት የሚታይበት የጊዜ ርዝመት በማሳጠርና በበሽታው የሚረገፉ የቅጠል ብዛት በመቀነስ ረገድ ያላቸው የሃይለድቅል መጠን በሽታውን ሊቌቌም በሚየስችል ሁኔታ ወይም በሚፈለገው ደረጃ መሻሻል አላሳየም፡፡ እናት ቡናዎች P2 (971)፤ P7 (974)፤ P8 (370 እና P5(79233) በሽታ የመቌቌም ባህሪያቸውን ለድቃዮቻቸው በማስተላለፍ ከፍተኛ የሆነ ድርሻ እንዳላቸው ታውቌል፡፡ በተመሳሳይ ሁኔታ P7 x P8 (974 x 370) እና  P4 x P8 (8136 x 370) ድቃዮች በጥሩ ሁኔታ  በሽታውን የመቌቌም አቅም አሳይተዋል፡፡ በተጨማሪም ይህን በሽታ የሚቌቌሙ የቡና ጀኖታይፖች የመቌቌም ስነባህሪያቸው እስከ 68.61% የመሻሻልና የመተላለፍ አቅም ከፍተኛ  መሆኑ በጥናቱ ተረጋግጧል፡፡ በአጠቃላይ በዚህ ጥናት መሰረት የቡና ግንድ አድርቅ በሽታን የመቌቌም ስነባህሪን በመረጣና ከድቀላ በኋላ የዘርሀረግን መሰረት አድርጎ መረጣ በማካሄድ ማሻሻል እንደሚቻል ታውቌል፡፡   Abstract Combining ability, heterosis, and heritability studies can provide valuable information for designing appropriate breeding programs for resistance to coffee wilt disease (CWD) caused by Gibberella xylarioides. The objective of this study was conducted to determine heterosis, combining ability, and heritability for resistance to CWD using an eight-parent half diallel cross (eight parents and 28 F1 hybrids). A susceptible control was used as a reference. All entities were artificially inoculated by the pathogen in a greenhouse and evaluated for CWD at Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC), Ethiopia in 2015/16. The reactions of inoculated genotypes were measured as a percent of wilted seedling, incubation period, and a number of yellow and defoliated leaves. Combined analysis of variance showed significant differences among genotypes for the characters measured.  Better-parent heterosis (BPH) and mid-parent heterosis (MPH) for percent of wilted seedlings and the number of defoliated leaves showed negligible heterosis in a desirable direction. However, considerable MPH was noticed for an extended incubation period. Both additive and non-additive gene actions were involved in controlling the inheritance of CWD resistance and incubation period; the additive gene effects being predominant. Parents P2 (971), P7 (974), P8 (370), and P5 (79233) showed highly significant negative general combining ability (gca) effects and were found to be good general combiners for resistance to CWD. Moreover, specific combining ability (sca) effects of hybrids P7 x P8 (974 x 370) and P4 x P8 (8136 x 370) revealed that they are good combinations for resistance (low mean wilted seedlings percentage) and incubation period. Percent wilted seedlings showed high broad (88.27%) and narrow (75.41%) sense heritability coupled with 68.61% genetic advance. Generally, both pure line selection and pedigree selection after hybridization could be an effective resistance breeding approach

Evaluation of sorghum genotypes and influence of weather variables on anthracnose (Colletotrichum sublineolum) disease development under field conditions at Jimma, southwestern Ethiopia

The severity and temporal dynamics of sorghum anthracnose on six and nine sorghum genotypes were evaluated on field plots during 2014 and 2015 cropping years in Southwestern Ethiopia, respectively. Anthracnose severity was assessed as the proportion of leaf area affected by the disease. 12 consecutive time point anthracnose severity assessments and their mean severity, disease progress rate, AUDPC, grain yield and yield related components were used to evaluate the response of the genotypes. In the year 2014 and 2015, the mean anthracnose severity was varying from 65 to 79 PSI and 54–82 PSI among six and nine sorghum genotypes, respectively. AUDPC varied from 5063 to 6113%-day and 4171 to 6383%-day in the year 2014 and 2015, respectively. BRC-378 and BRC-245 genotypes consistently had the lowest disease levels and highest grain yields during the two experimental years. The disease pressure was reduced, whereas grain yield and 1000-seed weight of the genotypes were increased in 2015 cropping year. Anthracnose severity was strongly correlated with weather variables and showed strong negative associations with grain yield of all tested sorghum genotypes

Retraction Note: Factors associated with decision-making power on family planning utilization among HIV-positive women attending public health facilities in Eastern Ethiopia

This article has been retracted. Please see the Retraction Notice for more detail: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40834-022-00175-y