Knowledge and attitudes of infection prevention and control among health sciences students at University of Namibia

Background: Health Sciences students are exposed early to hospitals and to activities which increase their risk of acquiring infections. Infection control practices are geared towards reduction of occurrence and transmission of infectious diseases.Objective: To evaluate knowledge and attitudes of infection prevention and control among Health Science students at University of Namibia.Methods: To assess students’ knowledge and attitudes regarding infection prevention and control and their sources of information, a self-administered questionnaire was used to look at standard precautions especially hands hygiene. Results: One hundred sixty two students participated in this study of which 31 were medical, 17 were radiography and 114 were nursing students. Medical students had better overall scores (73%) compared to nursing students (66%) and radiology students (61%). There was no significant difference in scores between sexes or location of the high school being either in rural or urban setting.Conclusion: Serious efforts are needed to improve or review curriculum so that health sciences students’ knowledge on infection prevention and control is imparted early before they are introduced to the wards.Keywords: Infection Prevention and Control, Health Science students, Hand hygieneAfrican Health Sciences 2013; 13(4): 1071 - 107

Relative prevalence of methicilline resistant Staphylococcus aureus and its susceptibility pattern in Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda

Methicilline resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains are becoming increasingly multiresistant, and have recently developed resistance to vancomycin, which has been used successfully to treat MRSA for many years. In-vitro determination of resistance patterns of S. aureus is critical in terms of administering suitable antimicrobial treatments. The objective of this study was to determine the relative prevalence of MRSA among S. aureus isolates from surgical site infections and their antibiotic susceptibility pattern in Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda. One hundred eighty eight pus swabs were collected from patients with surgical site infections. Swabs were inoculated for culture at the Microbiology Laboratory of the Faculty of Medicine, Makerere University. S. aurues isolates were identifi ed using standard procedures and tested for oxacillin resistance according to methods of the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards. Out of the 188 specimens, 54 (28.7%) grew S. aureus. Seventeen (31.5%) of the S. aureus isolates were confi rmed as MRSA by PCR. Resistance rates of MRSA were 88.2% for trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, 88.2% for erythromycin, 58.8% for gentamycin, 70.6% for ciprofl oxacin, and 88.2% for chloramphenicol. All isolates were found to be sensitive to vancomycin and clindamycin though the D-test was found to be positive in 82.4% of the isolates. In our region, although methicillin resistance increased in S. aureus strains, because of the unavailability and the high cost of alternative antibiotics, gentamycin is still suggested as an alternative for treatment of S. aureus infections. These results however indicate that vancomycin seemed to be the only antimicrobial agent effective against MRSA and it could be the drug of choice in treating multidrug resistant MRSA infection

Field screening finger millet germplasm for drought tolerance

Drought stress is the most important abiotic constraint limiting finger millet production. Limited research on tolerance to drought in finger millet has been done in Africa. As a result, the only varieties adapted to high-rainfall regions have been developed and promoted. Twenty-four potential drought-tolerant varieties selected from regional trials, and a short-duration commercial check (U15), were screened for drought in three locations in Kenya (KALRO-Kiboko, KALRO-Kampiya Mawe (KYM)) and Tanzania (DRD-Miwaleni). Genotype was significant for all the traits, location for all except yield, and GxL interaction for all except plant height. Sixteen of the varieties outperformed the commercial check (1.10 tha-1), with the best yielders being IE2187 (2.02 tha-1), IEFV0009 (1.50 tha-1), IE501 (1.1.48tha-1), IE593 (1.45 tha-1) and IE2030 (1.43 tha-1). All varieties except one had shorter DAP than the commercial variety. GGE biplot for yield showed Kiboko and Miwaleni locations to be effective in discriminating genotypes. Genotypes IE501, IE593, were specifically adapted to the Kiboko environment while IE546, KNE 741 and IE5791 were more adapted to the Miwaleni environment. Genotypes IE3104, IE5736, IE5733, IE6475 and IEFV0009 were stable across locations. Principal component analysis revealed the first four PC accounted for 85.72% of the variation with plant height, agronomic score, biomass, number of lodged plants, and number of productive tillers contributing the most. Five of the varieties -- IE2187, IEFV0009, IE501, IE593 and IE2030 -- have been advanced to PVS in Kenya and Tanzania, while KNE 741 is at NPT in Kenya

Effect of Phosphate Levels on Soil Rhizosphere Nutrient Balances and Finger Millet Yield

Soil infertility is one of the main factors leading to low finger millet production in the semi-arid tropics of Kenya. About 50-80% of P applied as fertilizer is adsorbed by soil and the amount of P needed to achieve maintenance of its adequate status and influence on other soil properties has not been well documented. An on-station experiment was therefore conducted at the KALROKiboko research station during the 2014 long and 2015 short rain seasons to investigate the influence of phosphorus rates on soil rhizosphere chemical properties and yield of three finger millet varieties. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design in factorial arrangement and replicated three times. There were four P levels (0, 12.5, 25 and 37.5 kg ha-1 P2O5) and three varieties (U15, P-224 and local check-Kat FM1). Phosphorus application reduced the soil pH significantly for both seasons with the 37.5 kg ha-1 P2O5 rate eliciting the greatest pH from 9.26 to 7.90 (1.36 units) during the long rain season. As expected, soil phosphorus increased with the highest rate with 11 ppm during the long rain season and 9 ppm for the short rains. The organic carbon increased by 0.28% for the long rain season on the 25 kg ha-1 P2O5 rate while the highest rate increased total N by 0.05%. The 25 kg ha-1 P2O5 rate and U-15 indicated the highest yield for both seasons with a maximum of 3.71 t ha-1 realized during the short rain season. Monitoring change in soil nutrient status is important for prescribing P fertilization in order to maintain or replenish soil fertility. The application rate of 25 kg ha-1 P2O5 led to the optimal yields under the improved variety and hence the study recommends this rate

Flowering and maturation periods of Finger Millet as influenced by phosphorus and variety in different agro-ecologies in Kenya

Phosphorus is important for finger millet production in many tropical African soils with low phosphorus fertility. Knowledge of redirection of this limited resource for reproduction is fundamental in realization of potential yields. The effect of four phosphorus levels (0, 12.5, 25.0 and 37.5 kg ha-1 P2O5) and three varieties (U-15, P-224 and a local check) on the days to flowering and maturity of finger millet were evaluated in three agro-ecologies in Kenya during the raining seasons of 2014-2015. Phosphorus application significantly (P<0.05) increased early flowering and physiological maturity in Kakamega and Busia. The varieties elicited significantly different days to 50% flowering and maturation periods in all the study sites. The days to flowering and maturity were found to be lowly but negatively correlated with the grain yield of finger millet in all the sites

Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana) Fodder Yield Potential and Nutritive Value under Different Levels of Phosphorus in Rainfed Conditions

Scarcity of fodder is the major limiting factor for increasing livestock production in Kenya. With rising energy costs and declining water levels in the semi-arid tropics and sub-tropics, crops that use less water like finger millet could become an alternate fodder crop. The fodder potential of three finger millet varieties (U-15, P-224 and a local check) were evaluated under four P fertilizer levels (0, 12.5, 25 and 37.5 kg ha-1 P2O5) at three sites in Kenya for two cropping seasons. The trials were laid in randomized complete block design in factorial arrangement and replicated three times. A maximum of 28,189 kg ha-1 fresh stover yield was realized in the 25 kg ha-1 P2O5 treatment and consequently 11,616 kg ha-1 dry stover yield. The 25 kg ha-1 rate elicited the highest fresh stover yield at Kakamega and Alupe for both seasons while at Kiboko a linear increase was observed on the stover yield with increasing rates where the highest rate had more than 15% yield compared to the control. The varieties also showed significant differences in all the sites with the local variety, Ikhulule, showing the highest fresh and dry stover yield at Kakamega and Alupe peaking at 28,852 and 12,826 kg ha-1 fresh and dry stover yields respectively. Interactions between variety and phosphorus rates were revealed on the crude protein content of the finger millet stover. At Kiboko, the highest crude protein (11.0%) on varieties P-224 and U-15 was exhibited at the highest rate while on the local variety, Ekalakala, the highest protein (10.9%) was realized at the 25 kg ha-1 P2O5. At Kakamega and Alupe, the highest protein was observed on the local variety, Ikhulule at 12.5 kg ha-1 P2O5 rate with variety P-224 and U-15 showing the highest at the 25 and 37.5 kg ha-1 P2O5 respectively. Therefore, finger millet can provide a unique opportunity to improve the availability of fodder to smallholder livestock farmers

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana L.) grain yield and yield components as influenced by phosphorus application and variety in Western Kenya

Finger millet is one of the potential cereal crops that can contribute to the efforts of realization of food security in the Sub-Saharan Africa. However, scientific information available with regards to improving soil phosphorus supply and identification of P efficient varieties for the crops potential yield is limited. In order to investigate the effects of P levels on yield components and grain yield On-station field experiments were conducted in two sites of western Kenya during the long and short rain seasons of 2015. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design in factorial arrangement with four levels of P (0, 12.5, 25 and 37.5 kg P2O5 ha-1 and three finger millet varieties (U-15, P-224 and a local check-Ikhulule) and the treatments replicated three times. The increase of phosphorus levels significantly (P≤0.05) increased the grain yield over the control up to 25 kg P2O5 ha-1 during the long rain seasons and 25 kg P2O5 ha-1 during the short rain seasons in both sites. Interactions at P≤0.05 were revealed on the grain yield where improved variety P-224 at 25 kg P2O5 ha-1 produced the highest grain yield of 4.74 t.ha-1 in Alupe and 4.77 t.ha-1 in Kakamega and the consistent results suggest that the combination is highly recommended. Therefore the use of judicious and proper rates of P fertilizers can markedly increase the grain yield of finger millet in western Kenya

Nitrogen and Phosphorus Uptake and Partitioning in Finger Millet as Influenced by Phosphorus Fertilization

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana) production in Eastern Africa remains low due to a variety of factors including soil nutrient depletion. As intensive row-crop production evolves, improvements in managing soil nutrient quantity and availability of less renewable nutrients like P becomes increasingly important. The yields in Kenya are typical of low input systems ranging below 1.0 t ha-1 against a potential of 5.0 t ha-1 in a season. In an attempt to overcome this constraint, On-station experiments were conducted at the Alupe research station during the long and short rain seasons of 2015 to investigate the influence of phosphate fertilizer rates (0, 12.5, 25 and 37.5 kg ha-1 P2O5) on nutrient uptake and partitioning in finger millet. Partitioning of N and P was significantly influenced (P30%) while the least to the roots (<19%). Variety U-15 had the greatest partitioning of nitrogen to the grains while the local variety, Ikhulule had the least. Application of phosphorus led to increase in the nitrogen and phosphorus uptake in finger millet with the most in the grains with a maximum of 106.5 kg ha-1 on the 37.5 kg ha-1 P2O5 rate during the short rains while the roots had the lowest uptake with 16.9 kg ha-1 and 22.1 kg ha-1 in the long and short rains seasons respectively on the control. This study on nutrient use provides an opportunity to further improve P fertilization to specific rates in relation to crops needs as farmers will be assured of greater yields, profitable and sustainable production. Limited use of P fertilizer restricts the uptake of phosphorus and nitrogen as well as the balance in partitioning and recommends application of 25 kg ha-1 P2O5 with improved varieties

Phosphorus influence on nitrogen uptake, nutrient and yield attributes of finger millet in semi-arid region of Kenya

An understanding of P efficiencies of finger millet is very important in soil management and selection of varieties adaptable to P-deficient soils. Therefore, on-station experiments were conducted at the ICRISAT-Kiboko research station to evaluate the effect of differential levels of P on nitrogen uptake, nutrient content and yield. There were four P levels (0, 12.5, 25 and 37.5 kg ha-1 P2O5) and three varieties (U-15, P-224 and Ekalakala). Ekalakala was the local check while 0 kg/ha P2O5 was the control. The trial was laid out in a randomized complete block design in factorial arrangement with three replicates. Soil analytical results showed moderately available P but very low N, organic carbon and zinc. Significant differences (P<.05) were observed between the phosphate levels on the nitrogen contents, where the control had the lowest with 4.95% and 4.90% for the short and long rains respectively; while the 25 kg ha-1 P2O5 rate had the highest, with 5.66% in the short rains and 5.14% in the long rains. The protein content significantly increased with phosphorus application, peaking at 11.00 g/100 g on the 25 kg ha-1 P2O5treatment. The newly released variety (U-15) responded positively to P supplemented at 25 kg ha-1 P2O5 , with a maximum grain yield of 3,410 kg ha-1. It can, thus, efficiently utilize N in soils with low N and is highly recommended. The application of P beyond 25 kg ha-1 P2O5 would not be translated into profitable yields, but losses to the farmer