Psychosocial Challenges and Strategies for Coping with HIV Among Adolescents in Uganda: A Qualitative Study

Although more than 90% of youth perinatally infected with HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa, little is known about the psychosocial factors that impact their wellbeing, or how these youth cope with these challenges. The purpose of this study was to identify the psychosocial challenges and coping strategies among perinatal HIV-infected adolescents in Uganda. In-depth interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 38 HIV-infected adolescents aged 12?19 years at a large HIV treatment center in Kampala. Data were analyzed thematically to identify themes and domains related to stressors and specific coping strategies. Psychosocial challenges included stigma/discrimination, relationship challenges such as HIV status disclosure, and medication difficulties. Coping strategies included medication adherence, concealment or limited disclosure of HIV status, treatment optimism, social support, rationalizing, social comparison, spirituality/religiosity, avoidance, and distraction. Age and gender differences also emerged: younger participants generally lacked specific coping strategies; compared to females, male adolescents reported greater use of avoidance/distraction techniques. Findings underscore the need to address stigma within homes and schools, and to equip adolescents with the comprehensive knowledge and skills to address their varied challenges.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/140199/1/apc.2014.0222.pd

PROPERTIES OF EXTRUDATES FROM SORGHUM VARIETIES

Extrusion cooking is a modern high-temperature short-time (HTST) processing technology, which is becoming popular in certain industries because it offers several advantages over other types of cooking processes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the extrusion performance of sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor ) varieties commonly grown in Uganda. Four varieties of sorghum namely, Seso1, Epuripur, Seso3 and Eyera were extruded with and without defatted soy-flour. Physical-chemical properties of the extrudates including, lateral expansion, bulk density, hardness, water absorption index, water solubility index, as well as proximate composition were determined. The extrudates exhibited 240-300% lateral expansion and 0.067-0.095 g cm-3 bulk density. The water absorption index was 6.4-7.9 g g-1 compared to 1.9-2.3 g g-1 of the control; while the water solubility index was 6.5-13% compared to 3.4-5.0% of the control. Extrusion of all the varieties reduced the peak and final viscosity of the extrudates. There were no varietal differences with respect to lateral expansion, bulk density and hardness. However, the water absorption index for the varieties increased in the order, Eyera, Seso 3, Seso 1 and Epuripur; while the water solubility index for the varieties increased in the order, Seso 1, Seso 3, Eyera and Epuripur. Defatted soybean flour had no effect on the extrudate properties. The results suggest that the four sorghum varieties in this study can be used in the production of extruded puffed snacks, breakfast cereals and other food products.La cuisson-extrusion est une technologie moderne de cuisson rapide \ue0 haute temp\ue9rature qui devient de plus en plus populaire dans certaines industries parce qu\u2019elle offre plusieurs avantages face \ue0 d\u2019autres proc\ue9d\ue9s de cuisson. L\u2019objectif de cette \ue9tude \ue9tait d\u2019\ue9valuer la performance de l\u2019extrusion des vari\ue9t\ue9s du sorgho ( Sorghum bicolor ) commun\ue9ment cultiv\ue9es en Ouganda. Quatre vari\ue9t\ue9s du sorgho dont Seso1, Epuripur, Seso3 et Eyera \ue9taient extrud\ue9es avec et sans farine du soja d\ue9graiss\ue9e. Les propri\ue9t\ue9s physico-chimiques de l\u2019extrudant incluant l\u2019expansion lat\ue9rale, la densit\ue9 volumique, la duret\ue9, l\u2019indice d\u2019absorption d\u2019eau ainsi que la composition chimique \ue9taient d\ue9termin\ue9es. Les extrudants ont manifest\ue9 240-300% de l\u2019expansion lat\ue9rale et 0.067-0.095 g cm-3 de la densit\ue9 volumique. L\u2019indice d\u2019absorption d\u2019eau \ue9tait de 6.4-7.9 g g-1 en comparaison avec 1.9-2.3 g g-1 dans le contr\uf4le, pendant que l\u2019indice de solubilit\ue9 dans l\u2019eau \ue9tait de 6.5-13% contre 3.4-5.0% dans le contr\uf4le. L\u2019extrusion de toute les vari\ue9t\ue9s a r\ue9duit l\u2019apog\ue9e et la viscosit\ue9 finale des extrudants. Il n\u2019y avait pas de diff\ue9rences significatives entre les vari\ue9t\ue9s au niveau de l\u2019expansion lat\ue9rale, la densit\ue9 volumique et la duret\ue9. Par ailleurs, l\u2019indice d\u2019absorption d\u2019eau pour les vari\ue9t\ue9s a augment\ue9 dans l\u2019ordre pour les vari\ue9t\ue9s Eyera, Seso 3, Seso 1 et Epuripur; pendant que l\u2019indice de solubilit\ue9 dans l\u2019eau pour les vari\ue9t\ue9s a augment\ue9 dans l\u2019ordre pour les vari\ue9t\ue9s Seso 1, Seso 3, Eyera et Epuripur. La farine degraiss\ue9e de soja n\u2019avait aucun effet sur les propri\ue9t\ue9s de l\u2019extrudant. Ces r\ue9sultats sugg\ue8rent que toutes les quatre vari\ue9t\ue9s de sorgho dans cette \ue9tude peuvent \ueatre utilis\ue9es dans la production des collations , c\ue9r\ue9ales pour petit d\ue9jeuner et autres produits alimentaires

Outbreak of Marburg hemorrhagic fever among miners in Kamwenge and Ibanda Districts, Uganda, 2007

Marburg hemorrhagic fever was detected among 4 miners in Ibanda District, Uganda, from June through September, 2007. Infection was likely acquired through exposure to bats or bat secretions in a mine in Kamwenge District, Uganda, and possibly human-to-human transmission between some patients. We describe the epidemiologic investigation and the health education response

Molecular detection and phylogenetic analysis of Anaplasma marginale and Anaplasma centrale amongst transhumant cattle in north-eastern Uganda

There is little molecular data from Anaplasma marginale and Anaplasma centrale isolates from cattle in Uganda. Between November 2013 and January 2014, blood was collected from 240 cattle in 20 randomly-selected herds in two districts of the Karamoja Region in north-eastern Uganda. A duplex quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay was used to detect and determine the prevalence of A. marginale (targeting the msp1β gene) and A. centrale (targeting the groEL gene). The qPCR assay revealed that most cattle (82.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 78.2–87.7%) were positive for A. marginale DNA, while fewer cattle (12.1%; 95% CI 7.9–16.2%) were positive for A. centrale DNA. A mixed effects logistic regression model showed that the age of cattle was significantly associated with A. centrale infection, while the prevalence of A. marginale varied significantly according to locality. The near full-length 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) gene and the heat shock protein gene, groEL, for both Anaplasma species were amplified from a selection of samples. The amplicons were cloned and the resulting recombinants sequenced. We found three novel A. marginale 16S rRNA variants, seven A. marginale groEL gene sequence variants and two A. centrale groEL gene sequence variants. Phylogenetic trees were inferred from sequence alignments of the 16S rRNA gene and GroEL amino acid sequences determined here and published sequences using maximum likelihood, Bayesian inference and parsimony methods Phylogenetic analyses classified the 16S rRNA gene and GroEL amino acid sequences into one clade for A. marginale and a separate clade for A. centrale. This study reveals a high prevalence and sequence variability of A. marginale and A. centrale, and is the first report on the phylogenetic characterisation of A. marginale and A. centrale from cattle in Uganda using molecular markers. Sequence variation can be attributed to mobile pastoralism, communal grazing and grazing with wildlife. These data support future epidemiological investigations for bovine anaplasmosis in Uganda.The National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), Uganda (P.109224) and University of Pretoria, South Africa (Postgraduate bursary 13399650).http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ttbdis2019-03-01hj2018Veterinary Tropical Disease

Molecular detection and characterisation of protozoan and rickettsial pathogens in ticks from cattle in the pastoral area of Karamoja, Uganda

Ticks and tick-borne diseases (TBDs) significantly affect cattle production and the livelihoods of communities in pastoralist areas. Data on protozoan and rickettsial pathogens in ticks infesting cattle in Uganda is scanty; while it is an indicator of the likelihood of disease transmission and occurrence. A cross-sectional study was conducted amongst cattle in the Karamoja Region, northeastern Uganda, from July through September 2017, to determine the tick species diversity, identify protozoan and rickettsial pathogens in the ticks, and characterise pathogenic species by sequence and phylogenetic analyses. About 50 % of the ticks detected from each predilection site on each animal were collected from 100 purposively-selected cattle from 20 randomly-selected herds. Twelve tick species belonging to the genera Amblyomma, Rhipicephalus and Hyalomma were identified, the most abundant being Amblyomma lepidum (93.9 %), followed by Amblyomma variegatum (2.0 %) and Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi (1.0 %). Tick species that have not been reported in recent studies amongst cattle in Uganda were found, namely Rhipicephalus pravus, Rhipicephalus praetextatus and Rhipicephalus turanicus. The ticks were grouped into 40 pools, by species and location, and the reverse line blot (RLB) hybridisation assay was used to detect pathogens from the ticks. The most frequently detected tick-borne parasites were Theileria mutans, Theileria velifera and Theileria parva, each observed in 25 % (10/40) of the tick pools. Tick-borne pathogens, namely Babesia rossi, Babesia microti and Theileria sp. (sable) that are not common to, or not known to infect, cattle were identified from ticks. The gene encoding Ehrlichia ruminantium pCS20 region, the Ehrlichia and Anaplasma 16S rRNA gene, and T. parva p67 sporozoite antigen gene were amplified, cloned and sequenced. Seven novel E. ruminantium pCS20 variants were identified, and these grouped into two separate clusters with sequences from other parts of Africa and Asia. The T. parva p67 sequences were of the allele type 1, and parasites possessing this allele type are commonly associated with East Coast fever in eastern Africa. Analysis of the Ehrlichia and Anaplasma 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that they were closely related to Rickettsia africae and to a new Ehrlichia species variant recently found in China. Our R. africae 16S rRNA sequences grouped with R. africae isolates from Nigeria, Egypt and Benin. The information on tick species diversity and pathogens in the various tick species provides an indicator of potential transmission amongst cattle populations, and to humans, and can be useful to estimate disease risk and in control strategies.The Directorate-General for Development Cooperation (DGDC) through the Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM) in Antwerp, Belgium (Flanders), the University of Pretoria, South Africa and the Claude Leon Foundation, South Africa.https://www.elsevier.com/locate/ttbdishj2022Veterinary Tropical Disease

Occurrence of tick-borne haemoparasites in cattle in the Mungwi District, Northern Province, Zambia

Little is known about the occurrence of haemoparasites in cattle in communal grazing areas of Mungwi District of Northern Province, Zambia. Clinical signs and post mortem lesions are pathognomonic of mixed tick-borne infections especially babesiosis, anaplasmosis and East Coast fever. The main objective of this study was to screen selected communal herds of cattle for tick-borne haemoparasites, and identify the tick vectors associated with the high cattle mortalities due to suspected tick-borne diseases in the local breeds of cattle grazing along the banks of the Chambeshi River in Mungwi District, Northern Province, Zambia. A total of 299 cattle blood samples were collected from July to September 2010 from Kapamba (n = 50), Chifulo (n = 102), Chisanga (n = 38), Kowa (n = 95) and Mungwi central (n = 14) in the Mungwi District. A total of 5288 ticks were also collected from the sampled cattle from April to July 2011. DNA was extracted from the cattle blood and the hypervariable region of the parasite small subunit rRNA gene was amplified and subjected to the reverse line blot (RLB) hybridization assay. The results of the RLB assay revealed the presence of tick-borne haemoparasites in 259 (86.6%) cattle blood samples occurring either as single (11.0%) or mixed (75.6%) infections. The most prevalent species present were the benign Theileria mutans (54.5%) and T. velifera (51.5%). Anaplasma marginale (25.7%), Babesia bovis (7.7%) and B. bigemina (3.3%) DNA were also detected in the samples. Only one sample (from Kapamba) tested positive for the presence of T. parva. This was an unexpected finding; also because the tick vector, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, was identified on animals from Kowa (14.0%), Chisanga (8.5%), Chifulo (6.0%) and Kapamba (1.4%). One sample (from Kapamba) tested positive for the presence of Ehrlichia ruminantium even though Amblyomma variegatum ticks were identified from 52.9% of the sampled animals from all study areas. There was significant positive association between T. mutans and T. velifera (p < 0.001) infections, and between A. marginale and B. bovis (p = 0.005). The presence of R. microplus tick vectors on cattle was significantly associated with B. bovis (odds ratio, OR = 28.4, p < 0.001) and A. marginale (OR = 42.0, p < 0.001) infections, while A. variegatum presence was significantly associated with T. mutans (OR = 213.0, p < 0.001) and T. velifera (OR = 459.0, p < 0.001) infections. Rhipicephalus decoloratus was significantly associated with B. bigemina (OR = 21.6, p = 0.004) and A. marginale (OR = 28.5, p < 0.001). Multivariable analysis showed a significant association between location and tick-borne pathogen status for A. marginale (p < 0.001), T. mutans (p = 0.004), T. velifera (p = 0.003) and T. taurotragi (p = 0.005). The results of our study suggest that the cause of cattle mortalities in Mungwi during the winter outbreaks is mainly due to A. marginale, B. bovis and B. bigemina infections. This was confirmed by the clinical manifestation of the disease in the affected cattle and the tick species identified on the animals. The relatively low prevalence of T. parva, B. bigemina, B. bovis and E. ruminantium could indicate the existence of endemic instability with a pool of susceptible cattle and the occurrence of disease outbreaks.The Belgian Directorate General for Development Co-operation Framework agreement ITM/DGCD and the South African National Research Foundation (NRF) (Grant 76529 to Marinda Oosthuizen).http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ttbdis2019-03-01hj2018Veterinary Tropical Disease

Improved detection of Babesia bigemina from various geographical areas in Africa using quantitative PCR and reverse line blot hybridisation

Babesia bigemina is one of the aetiological agents of bovine babesiosis, which causes economic losses through mortality, loss of production and control costs. Effective means of detecting and quantifying B. bigemina in cattle populations is therefore important to inform control approaches. In order to examine the parasite genetic diversity in African countries, B. bigemina 18S rRNA genes from cattle from South Africa, Uganda and Angola were sequenced. The 25 distinct B. bigemina 18S rRNA gene sequences obtained in this study showed 99 to 100% identity with previously published sequences of strains from African and other continents. The sequences of the previously published B. bigemina 18S rRNA gene-specific quantitative PCR (qPCR) primers and probe, developed based on American and Asian strains, were conserved in the African B. bigemina sequences. The qPCR assay was evaluated using 10-fold and 2-fold serial dilutions of B. bigemina-infected erythrocytes to determine the efficiency and analytical sensitivity. The qPCR assay had an efficiency of 98.14 ± 1.71%, and the limit of detection was approximately 1.5 infected red blood cells (iRBCs) per microlitre (μl) of blood. The detection rate of B. bigemina from duplicates of field-collected blood samples from cattle from South Africa, Mozambique and Angola was 37% (30/81), 12% (6/49) and 50% (38/76), respectively. Reverse line blot hybridisation (RLB) results obtained from the same samples in previous studies, using a previously published B. bigemina-specific probe, detected the parasite DNA in only 1.5% (3/206) of the samples. A new B. bigemina-specific RLB oligonucleotide probe was designed in the hypervariable V4 region of the 18S rRNA gene. Screening of field blood samples from cattle showed that the new probe was specific, and its frequency of detection of B. bigemina was three times higher than the previously published probe. The qPCR assay and the newly developed B. bigemina-specific RLB probe provide good tools for epidemiological studies, which are essential in the control of bovine babesiosis.The Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA), the Belgian Directorate General for Development Co-operation (DGCD) Framework agreement ITM/DGCD and the Claude Leon Foundation of South Africa.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ttbdishj2021Veterinary Tropical Disease

Effects of probiotic (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and ascorbic acid on oxidative gene damage biomarker, heat shock protein 70 and interleukin 10 in broiler chickens exposed to heat stress

Heat stress is a prominent factor responsible for losses economically in poultry meat industry due to adverse effects on the general performance of broiler chickens. In this study, we evaluated the effects of probiotic (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and ascorbic acid on oxidative gene damage biomarker, heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and interleukin 10 (IL-10) in broiler chickens exposed to heat stress under natural conditions. Fifty-six broiler chickens served as the subjects, they were divided into 4 groups of 14 as follows: group I (control), group II (probiotic S. cerevisiae at 1 g/kg of feed), group III (ascorbic acid at 200 mg/kg of feed) and group IV (probiotic + ascorbic acid at 1 g/kg and 200 mg/kg of feed, respectively). The treatments were administered via feed for 35 days (D1 to D35). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and one step real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was utilised to study the effects of heat stress on the expression levels of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), HSP70 and IL-10 respectively, in broiler chickens raised during the hot summer season. The level of 8-OHdG gene was significantly lower in the probiotic administered group. The expression level of HSP70 was lowest in the ascorbic acid group while, IL-10 level of expression was highest in the probiotic + ascorbic acid group. The administered antioxidants were efficient in exhibiting anti-stress effects at the level of gene expression. We conclude that probiotic, ascorbic acid and probiotic + ascorbic acid reduced oxidative gene damage, affected the expression of HSP70 and increased the level of IL-10 gene respectively, in broiler chickens exposed to heat stressThe University of Pretoria Doctoral Research Bursary, Department of Anatomy and Physiology and Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, South Africa.https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/animal-geneAnatomy and PhysiologyParaclinical SciencesVeterinary Tropical Disease

Arbovirus circulation, epidemiology and spatiotemporal distribution in Uganda

BackgroundArboviruses are endemic in Uganda; however, little is known about their epidemiology, seasonality, and spatiotemporal distribution. This study sought to provide information on arbovirus outbreaks from acute clinical presentations.MethodsA retrospective analysis of IgM and confirmatory Plaque Reduction Neutralization Test (PRNT)and results for arbovirus diagnosis of samples collected from 2016 to 2019 was carried out. Demographic data were used to determine the epidemiology and spatiotemporal distribution of arboviruses using the SaTScan and SPSS software.ResultsArbovirus activity peaked consistently during March-May rainy seasons. The overall arbovirus seroprevalence was 9·5% (137/1441). Of the 137 IgM positives, 72 (52·6%) were confirmed by PRNT, of which the central region (53/72; 73·6%) and YFV (20/72; 27·8%) had the highest prevalence. The 5-14 age group were four times more likely to be infected with an arbovirus p=0·003, 4·1 (1·3- 12·3 CI). Significant arboviral activity was observed among indoor (p=0·003) and outdoor (p=0·05) patients. Spatiotemporal analysis indicated arboviral activity in 23 districts with five distinct clusters in 6 districts. Masaka, in the Central region, was the most affected among the districts, with a significant YFV cluster (p˂0·001) from March to May 2016.InterpretationThis study shows that arbovirus activity peak during the March-May rainy season and highlights the need for YFV mass vaccination to reduce the clinical burden of arboviruses transmitted within the region