Participatory consumer evaluation of twelve sweetpotato varieties in Kenya

Eleven improved sweetpotato varieties; “Kemb10, SPK004, Mugande, Namaswakhe, K117, Polista, Bungoma, Odinga, 292-H-12, Zapallo” and “Nyathi Odiewo (improved) ”, were tested against four popular farmer varieties; “Nyathi Odiewo (local), Jayalo, Amina and Kuny kibuonjo” for consumer preference. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with 12 treatments replicated four times in mother and baby trial with farmers’ involvement. The study was conducted in farmers’ fields in four locations covering the major sweetpotato production Agro-Ecological Zones (AEZ ) of southwest Kenya namely; Kabondo AEZ, Upper Midland2 (UM2), Ndhiwa, Low Midland2 (LM2), Rangwe, Low Midland1 (LM1) and Kendu, Low Midland3 (LM3). The trials were planted in May and September 2005 both long and short rains, respectively. Ten participating and ten non-participating farmers per location formed a panel and evaluated the mother trial for consumer preference. Focused group discussions were held to determine farmers’ perception for evaluation. Data was collected on consumer preference: - yield, taste, aroma, ease to cook and texture. There were differences in yield with variety “Mug and” yielding highest followed by “K117 Nyathi Odiewo, Namaswakhe” and “Kemb10” respectively across locations. Farmers’ preferred local varieties “Nyathi Odiewo” and “Kuny kibounjo” were comparable to the improved varieties. Variety “Zapallo” and the local varieties; “Jayalo” and “Amina” had lower yielding. “Odinga” was most preferred for consumption followed by “Nyathi Odiewo Kemb10, SPK004, Polista, 292-H-12” and the local checks. Farmers’ involvement is crucial in evaluation of preferred sweetpotato varieties for consumption. However, varieties “K117” and “Mugande” have potential to increase farmers production

Prevalence and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Enterobacteriaceae Collected from Patients with Wounds at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya

Prevalence and sensitivity trends of Enterobacteriaceae isolated from septic wounds were determined through a prospective cross sectional study. One hundred and fifteen specimens isolated from in-patients in the Department of Orthopaedics were studied and antibiotic sensitivity testing performed using the Kirby and Bauer disc diffusion technique. The prevalence of organisms isolated was Proteus spp (33.9%), Eschericia coli (13.2%), Klebsiella spp (7.9%), Alcaligenes (1.7%), Citrobacter freundii (0.9%), Serratia spp (0.9%) and Acinetobacter baumanii (0.9%). The sensitivity rate of ceftriaxone, ceftazidime and ciprofloxacin was above 70% in all cases. Co-amoxiclav, gentamicin, cefuroxime, minocycline and piperacillin showed moderate to high activity. Klebsiella spp isolates portrayed high resistance against several drugs. The sensitivity patterns showed that empirical prescribing should be discouraged since the organisms appear to be developing resistance against commonly used antibiotics.Keywords: Sensitivity trends, Prevalence, Enterobacteriaceae, antimicrobial susceptibilityEast and Central African Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Vol. 12 (2009) 42-4

An evaluation of quality of life in ambulatory patients with systemic lupus erythematosus attending rheumatology clinic in Kenyatta National Hospital

Background: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects all organs of the body. It is becoming increasingly clear that SLE is not as rare in Kenya as was previously thought. Due to its chronicity SLE has been known to affect the quality of life of those affected by it. There is minimal data on SLE in East Africa and especially in Kenya. The quality of life of SLE patients in this country has never been assessed. Objectives: To document the quality of life of patients with SLE in Kenyatta National Hospital using LUPUS QOL questionnaire. We also sought to correlate HRQOL with duration of illness, drugs used and age of the patient. Design: This was a cross sectional study done on patients attending Rheumatology Clinic in Kenyatta National Hospital. Methods: Patients who satisfy the ACR criteria were consecutively recruited. All patients with SLE attending the clinic were included in the study. Consent was obtained from the patients after which their demographic data was obtained. Patients were examined for the presence of malar rash, discoid rash, arthritis/athralgia, photosensitivity, CNS symptoms, serositis and oral ulcers. The patients then filled the LUPUS QOL questionnaire. The information acquired was then analysed using SPSS version 17.0 using student t test and regression analysis. The quality of life was calculated and then correlated with age, duration of illness and drug management. Results: Sixty two patients were analysed (60 females 2 males). Mean age of the population was 37.3 years (range 14-71 years). All patients had some level of education with 61.3% of the population having some form of secondary education. Most patients 54.8% were married. Mean age of diagnosis was 34.5 years with mean duration of illness 1.5 years. Majority (88.7%) had arthritis/ athralgia, oral ulcers (62.9%), malar rash (59.7%), photosensitivity (58.1%), serositis (32.3%), CNS symptoms (27.4%) and discoid rash (17.7%). Patients scored globally low in all domains of LUPUS QOL. Highest domain was planning 63.7 (29.3), emotional health 61.3 (26.5), burden to others 58.9 (31.2), fatigue 57.5 (30.0), pain 56.6 (29.6), physical health 54.0 (23.3), body image 47.1 (24.2) intimate relations 41.1 (38.4).The most common drug in use in our population was prednisone at 74.2%. This was followed by HCQ at 69.4%, NSAIDS 54.8%, azathioprine 37.1%, methotrexate 22.6%, mycofenolate mofetil 8.1%, CCB 11.3%, cyclosporine 3.2%. HRQOL correlated positively with advance in age for the domains. Physical health, burden to others, emotional health and fatigue. There was no correlation between HRQOL and duration of illness or drugs used by the population. Conclusion: The HRQOL of our SLE patients was found to be low in all domains and to correlate with advance in age in the domains of physical health, burden to others, emotional health and fatigue. However there was no correlation with duration of illness or the drugs used by the patients

Haematological parameters in systemic lupus erythematosus patients at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi

Background: Haematological abnormalities are the most common manifestations of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). Anaemia of Chronic Disease (ACD) has been associated with significantly higher disease activity. Thrombocytopenia early in the course of disease is indicative of more severe active disease and if severe it is an independent predictor of damage accrual and mortality. Leucopenia usually reflects disease activity.Objectives: To determine the prevalence of haematological abnormalities, among SLE patients on follow up at Rheumatology and Renal Outpatient clinics at Kenyatta National Hospital. Specifically, the study aimed to describe the prevalence of anaemia, leucopenia, and thrombocytopenia and identify patient factors associated with these abnormalities.Design: Cross-sectional hospital based descriptive study.Setting: Rheumatology out-patient clinic and Renal out-patient clinic at KNH.Subjects: Sixty five patients who fulfilled the 1997 American College of Rheumatology Classification Criteria for SLE.Results: Sixty five eligible SLE patients were recruited into the study. The mean (SD) age was 36.5 (± 12) years. There were 3 (5%) males and 62 (95%) females. Forty nine (75%) patients had at least one abnormality. The abnormalities involved all the three cell lines. The prevalence of abnormalities were; anaemia 43%, leucopenia 26% and thrombocytopenia 20%.Conclusion: Haematological abnormalities were the second most common manifestation of the disease after arthritis and arthralgia among SLE patients on follow up at Kenyatta National Hospital Rheumatology and Renal clinic. Though majority of these abnormalities were mild to moderate and clinically asymptomatic, the proportions of anaemia, leucopenia and thrombocytopenia were substantially high.Keywords: Haematological parameters, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Kenyatta National Hospita

Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Nairobi, Kenya

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a chronic multisystem autoimmune disease with a wide spectrum of manifestations, shows considerable variation across the globe, although there is data from Africa is limited. Quantifying the burden of SLE across Africa can help raise awareness and knowledge about the disease. It will also clarify the role of genetic, environmental and other causative factors in the natural history of the disease, and to understand its clinical and societal consequences in African set up.Objective: To determine the clinical profile of SLE patients at a tertiary care centre in Nairobi, Kenya.Methods: Case records of patients who were attending the Nairobi Arthritis Clinic seen between January 2002 and January 2013 were reviewed. This was a cross-sectional study done on 100 patients fulfilling the 2012 Systemic Lupus Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) criteria for SLE attending the Nairobi Arthritis Clinic, Kenya. The patients were evaluated for sociodemographic, clinical and immunological manifestations and drugs used to manage SLE.Results: Hundred patients diagnosed with SLE were recruited into the study. Ninety seven per cent of the study participants were female with a mean age of 36.6 years. Thirty three years was the mean age of diagnosis. The mean time duration of disease was 3 years with a range of 0-13 years. There was extensive disease as many had multi-organ involvement. Majority (83%) of the study participants met between 4 and 6 manifestations for the diagnosis criteria for SLE. Non erosive arthritis and cutaneous disease were the commonest initial manifestation. The patients had varied cutaneous, haematological, pulmonary, cardiac, renal and neuropsychiatric manifestations. Antinuclear antibody (ANA) assay and anti-dsDNA was positive in 82% and 52%. Patients on steroids, non-steroidal drugs and synthetic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs were 84%, 49% and 43% respectively. None of the patients were on biologic disease modifying antirheumatic drugs.Conclusions: In Nairobi, SLE is a multisystem disorder affecting predominantly young females. Polyarthritis and cutaneous disease were the most common clinical features. This is comparable to other studies done in black African population. We found a higher prevalence of haematological and lower rate of renal disease as compared to other studies done in black Africans. The ANA assay and anti-dsDNA positivity was lower than those in other studies on black Africans. Majority of the patients were on steroids.Keywords: SLE, Nairobi, Keny

Environmental pollution

© 2012, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. There exist various definitions to the word pollution depending on one’s jurisdiction and the laws of a particular country. Springer looks at the meaningful concept of defining pollution in international law by posing the questions: “what are you talking about when you are talking about pollution? What is pollution? How would you define it if you are going to remove the concept of damage from it?” These questions are not easily answerable and as Springer acknowledges, the term pollution is a word whose precise meaning in law, particularly international law, is not easily discerned. It has been used in a wide variety of contexts, from international conventions to pessimistic speeches about the state of the environment, to describe different levels and kinds of man-induced changes in the natural world

Environmental pollution

© Springer International Publishing AG 2018. There exist various definitions to the word pollution depending on one’s jurisdiction and the laws of a particular country