Microbiological quality and antimicrobial resistance of Bacteria species recovered from ready-to-eat food, water samples, and palm swabs of food vendors in Accra, Ghana

This study sought to investigate microbial quality and antimicrobial resistance of bacteria species from Ready-to-Eat (RTE) food, water, and vendor palm swab samples. Between 2019 and 2020, RTE food, water and vendor palm swab samples were collected from food vending sites in Accra, Ghana. Samples were cultured and confirmed using the Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) was conducted using disk diffusion method. Beta-lactamase and Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) genes were determined using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Total plate count (TPC) and Total coliform count (TCC) were performed on food and water samples. In total, 179 RTE food, 72 water and 10 vendor palm swab samples were collected. Enterobacter spp. (16.8 %), Citrobacter spp. (10.1 %), Enterococcus faecalis (7.8 %), Pseudomonas spp. (6.7 %) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (4.0 %) occurred in food. Isolates from water and palm were Klebsiella pneumoniae (20.8 %), Aeromonas spp. (16.7 %) and Enterobacter cloacae (11.1 %). Resistance to Amoxicillin-clavulanate, Tetracycline, Azithromycin, Sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, and Nitrofurantoin were common among Enterobacterales. High mean TPC and TCC showed in some RTE food and different water types used in vending depicting their unsafe condition for consumption and usage. The bla(SHV) and bla(TEM) genes were present in some Enterobacterales from food and water. The lt gene was identified in two food samples. AMR organisms associated with nosocomial infections in the samples investigated, calls for continuous surveillance in the food industry in Ghana. Also, the unsafe outcome of RTE food and water depicts the need for the enforcement of Ghana's food safety laws

Pharmacokinetics of single low dose primaquine in Ugandan and Congolese children with falciparum malaria

Background: There are no pharmacokinetic data of single low dose primaquine (SLDPQ) as transmission blocking in African children with acute Plasmodium falciparum and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PDd). Methods: Primaquine pharmacokinetics of age-dosed SLDPQ (shown previously to be gametocytocidal with similar tolerability as placebo) were characterised in falciparum-infected Ugandan and Congolese children aged 6 months to 11 years, treated on admission with standard 3-day dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine or artemether-lumefantrine plus SLDPQ: 6 m–<1 y: 1.25 mg, 1–5 y: 2.5 mg, 6–9 y: 5 mg, 10–11 y: 7.5 mg. LC-MS/MS-measured plasma primaquine and carboxyprimaquine (baseline, 1, 1.5, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24 h) were analysed by noncompartmental analysis. Multivariable linear regression modelled associations between covariates, including cytochrome-P450 2D6 metaboliser status, and outcomes. Findings: 258 children (median age 5 [interquartile range (IQR) 3–7]) were sampled; 8 (3.1%) with early vomiting were excluded. Primaquine doses of 0.10–0.40 (median 0.21, IQR 0.16–0.25) mg base/kg resulted in primaquine maximum plasma concentrations (Cmax) of 2.3–447 (median 103.0, IQR 72.1–140.0) ng/mL between 1.0 and 8.0 (median 2) hours (Tmax) and median areas under the drug concentration curves (AUC0-last) 730.2 (6 m–<1 y, n = 12), 582.8 (1–5 y, n = 126), 871.1 (6–9 y, n = 80), and 931.0 (10–11 y, n = 32) ng∗h/mL. Median elimination half-live (T½) was 4.7 (IQR 3.8–5.6) hours. Primaquine clearance/kg peaked at 18 months, plateauing at 4 y. Increasing CYP2D6 metaboliser activity score [poor (3/250), intermediate (52/250), normal (150/250), ultrarapid (5/250), indeterminate (40/250)] and baseline haemoglobin were significantly associated with a lower primaquine AUC0-last,which increased with increasing mg/kg dose and age but was independent of the artemisinin treatment used. Interpretation: Age-dosed SLDPQ resulted in variable primaquine exposure that depended on bodyweight-adjusted dose, age, baseline haemoglobin and CYP2D6 metaboliser status, but not on dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine or artemether-lumefantrine. These data support age-dosed SLDPQ for transmission blocking in sub-Saharan Africa. Funding: This work was cofunded by the UK Medical Research Council, Wellcome Trust, and UK Aid through the Global Health Trials (grant reference MR/P006973/1). The funders had no role in the study design, execution, and analysis and decisions regarding publication

Bovine Tuberculosis at the Wildlife-Livestock-Human Interface in Hamer Woreda, South Omo, Southern Ethiopia

Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) is endemic in cattle in the Ethiopian Highlands but no studies have been done so far in pastoralists in South Omo. This study assessed the prevalence of bovine tuberculosis (BTB) at an intensive interface of livestock, wildlife and pastoralists in Hamer Woreda (South Omo), Ethiopia. A cross-sectional survey including a comparative intradermal skin testing (CIDT) was conducted in 499 zebu cattle and 186 goats in 12 settlements. Sputum samples from 26 symptomatic livestock owners were cultured for TB. Fifty-one wildlife samples from 13 different species were also collected in the same area and tested with serological (lateral flow assay) and bacteriological (culture of lymph nodes) techniques. Individual BTB prevalence in cattle was 0.8% (CI: 0.3%–2%) with the >4 mm cut-off and 3.4% (CI: 2.1%–5.4%) with the >2 mm cut-off. Herd prevalence was 33.3% and 83% when using the >4 and the >2 mm cut-off respectively. There was no correlation between age, sex, body condition and positive reactors upon univariate analysis. None of the goats were reactors for BTB. Acid fast bacilli (AFB) were detected in 50% of the wildlife cultures, 79.2% of which were identified as Mycobacterium terrae complex. No M. bovis was detected. Twenty-seven percent of tested wildlife were sero-positive. Four sputum cultures (15.4%) yielded AFB positive colonies among which one was M. tuberculosis and 3 non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). The prevalence of M. avium-complex (MAC) was 4.2% in wildlife, 2.5% in cattle and 0.5% in goats. In conclusion, individual BTB prevalence was low, but herd prevalence high in cattle and BTB was not detected in goats, wildlife and humans despite an intensive contact interface. On the contrary, NTMs were highly prevalent and some Mycobacterium spp were more prevalent in specific species. The role of NTMs in livestock and co-infection with BTB need further research

Grey number based methodology for non-homogeneous preference elicitation in fuzzy risk analysis management

The significantly increase in the number of vehicles have become a major problem, that cause enormous problems such as congestion, pollution, wastage of money and time. Therefore, the simulating and optimizing traffic control algorithms are needed to accommodate the demand in order to solve traffic congestion problems. Predicting effective and optimal green time taken for the intersections will help minimizing the traffic congestion henceforth reducing the waiting time. In this study, fuzzy logic is used to find optimal traffic waiting time. The method determines the effective and optimal traffic signal timing that suits different traffic densities. In this case, the study has considered a four-way intersection. The results indicate that different road intersections require different effective and optimal of green time to reduce traffic congestion. The higher the number of cars at the intersection, the effective green time will be longer rather than the lesser number of cars. The flexibility feature of the fuzzy logic will provide suitable optimal green time for the intersection, which is cordially benefit the users. It is worth mentioning that fuzzy logic traffic lights controller performed better than the fixed-time controller due to its flexibility and the capability in reducing the waiting time

The critical need for pooled data on coronavirus disease 2019 in African children : an AFREhealth call for action through multicountry research collaboration

Globally, there are prevailing knowledge gaps in the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and outcomes of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection among children and adolescents; and these gaps are especially wide in African countries. The availability of robust age-disaggregated data is a critical first step in improving knowledge on disease burden and manifestations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among children. Furthermore, it is essential to improve understanding of SARS-CoV-2 interactions with comorbidities and coinfections such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), tuberculosis, malaria, sickle cell disease, and malnutrition, which are highly prevalent among children in sub-Saharan Africa. The African Forum for Research and Education in Health (AFREhealth) COVID-19 Research Collaboration on Children and Adolescents is conducting studies across Western, Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa to address existing knowledge gaps. This consortium is expected to generate key evidence to inform clinical practice and public health policy-making for COVID-19 while concurrently addressing other major diseases affecting children in African countries.The US National Institutes of Health (NIH)/ Fogarty International Centre (FIC) to the African Forum for Research and Education in Health (AFREhealth).https://academic.oup.com/cidam2022Paediatrics and Child Healt

La rentabilité du ranching. Cas du Gabon et de la Côte d'Ivoire

La rentabilité du ranching au Gabon et en Côte d'Ivoire a été étudiée au niveau des ranches de Nyanga, de Ngounié, de Lékabi (Gabon), de Sipilou, de Badikaha et d'Abokouamékro (Côte d'Ivoire). Le diagnostic a porté sur l'organisation, la production, la commercialisation et les finances. Ces deux pays ont décidé de s'investir dans l'élevage des bovins pour sortir de la dépendance alimentaire et pour enrayer le déficit de la production carnée et laitière locale. Mais les ranches construits connaissent de grosses difficultés financières par manque du souci de rentabilité qui caractérise la gestion des entreprises publiques. Sur le plan technique, ces ranches sont pour la plupart irréprochables ; il y a une assez bonne maîtrise des paramètres zootechniques. N'ayant pas atteint leurs objectifs, ces ranches diversifient leurs activités pour espérer atteindre en fin de compte le but fixé par les Etats respectifs. Mais des mesures drastiques doivent être prises pour la bonne marche de ces ranches. Leur salut se trouve peut-être dans la privatisation afin que des investisseurs privés les sortent du marasme économique dans lequel ils sont plongé

La rentabilité du ranch Marahoué (élevage bovin - race N'Dama)

Le ranch a été crée en 1975 pour la diffusion d'animaux reproducteurs N'Dama en milieu paysan. L'objectif était d'atteindre en croisière un effectif de 22 000 têtes dont 7 000 reproductrices pour exploiter 3 650 têtes par an soit 16,6 %. En 1992 et 1993 ces effectifs ont été dépassés légèrement. Mais ils ont chuté ensuite avec 14 872 têtes dont 6 365 reproductrices à la mi juin 1998. Le ranch n'est pas économiquement rentable pour diverses raisons telles que : effectif de personnel pléthorique (348 personnes), performances zootechniques faibles (fécondité 58 % en 1997 au lieu de 72 % espéré et dépassé en 1987-1989, mortalité globale 6 %, mortalité des veaux 7 %, dont la cause principale est la cachexie ! ... ). Le taux d'exploitation autrefois proche de 15 % a été élevé en 1996 et 1997 : 20 et 26 %. Le financement de l'Etat est nécessaire pour maintenir le ranch qui a un rôle indéniable mais coûte plus qu'il ne rapporte directement. Avec la situation économique difficile, le déficit financier doit être réduit. Quelques solutions sont proposées. (Résumé d'auteur

Blockchain technology in the Philippines: Status, trends, and ways forward

The Fourth Industrial Revolution has prompted firms across the globe to take advantage of the key technologies including blockchain to ensure that their competitive advantage is maintained with respect to their peers in the network. Blockchain technology has been widely used to promote a system that allows digital information to be distributed only to those which information is intended. Aside from that, blockchain technology enables trust, reliability, and transparency, to name a few, to all its users within the network particularly due to the influence of cryptography. The Philippines is currently underway to catching up with the technological changes in order to improve, at least maintain, its status in the global competition. This paper is directed to provide the current state of blockchain technology and its trends in both the global and local context. Moreover, the position of the country with respect to the probable adoption of blockchain technology nationally is also explored. © 2019 IEEE