Paradigm shift in the diagnosis of peste des petits ruminants: scoping review

Peste des petits ruminants virus causes a highly contagious disease, which poses enormous economic losses in domestic animals and threatens the conservation of wild herbivores. Diagnosis remains a cornerstone to the Peste des petits ruminants Global Control and Eradication Strategy, an initiative of the World Organisation for Animal Health and the Food and Agriculture Organisation. The present review presents the peste des petits ruminants diagnostic landscape, including the practicality of commercially available diagnostic tools, prototype tests and opportunities for new technologies. The most common peste des petits ruminants diagnostic tools include; agar gel immunodiffusion, counter-immunoelectrophoresis, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction either gel-based or real-time, reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification, reverse transcription recombinase polymerase amplification assays, immunochromatographic lateral flow devices, luciferase immunoprecipitation system and pseudotype-based assays. These tests vary in their technical demands, but all require a laboratory with exception of immunochromatographic lateral flow and possibly reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification and reverse transcription recombinase polymerase amplification assays. Thus, we are proposing an efficient integration of diagnostic tests for rapid and correct identification of peste des petits ruminants in endemic zones and to rapidly confirm outbreaks. Deployment of pen-side tests will improve diagnostic capacity in extremely remote settings and susceptible wildlife ecosystems, where transportation of clinical samples in the optimum cold chain is unreliable

Lambros Couloubaritsis, Mythe et philosophie chez Parménide

DNA Barcoding to combat Wildlife Crime Workshop May, 2016Poaching for both meat and trophy has always been a major challenge in conservation history. Illegal trade in wildlife and its products affect the survival of magnitude number of species. The population of rhinos and elephants for instance has declined in recent years as a result of escalation in organized trade in their products. This has necessitated many states to take active measures to protect their biodiversity in recent years.However, wildlife criminals (poachers and traffickers) continue to develop new ways to circumvent detection and prosecution. Crime investigators on the other hand fail to hold these criminals responsible with confidence due to lack of reliable forensic tools admissible in courts of law. The prosecutors try to prove that the suspects have committed crimes on wildlife but fail because criminals tried to remove overtindicative morphological features specific to poached animals. Over the recent years, this illegal wildlife poaching has turned into being a highly profitable business worldwide with remarkably low risks as trials of illegal wildlife traffickers are rare, largely because law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and judicial systems typically consider such crime a low priority. Large volumes of wildlife including those already at risk are being illegally poached and traded and if this trend is unabated it threatens future survival of some key species in East Africa region and beyond. To overt these challenges scientists are racing in arms to develop highly sensitive, accurate and high throughput DNA based techniques to mitigate these challenges. One of the leading examples of this development is the institution of a standardized global DNA- based barcode identification system which provides a simple, universal tool for the identification of wildlife species and their products.DNA barcoding has now become an accepted and commonly used method for species identification practiced by taxonomists, ecologists, forensic scientists and other researchers. A Google-supported Barcode of Wildlife Project (BWP) hosted by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington,successively initiated these initiatives in Kenya since 2012. Recently, BWP as expanded these training and technical assistance to new participants in Tanzania through the recently funded USAID-PEER project since 2015. The new participating institutions are Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) and Tanzania Wildlife Institute (TAWIRI

Changes in hydrodynamic, structural and geochemical properties in carbonate rock samples due to reactive transport

Reactive transport plays an important role in the development of a wide range of both anthropic and natural processes affecting geological media. To predict the consequences of reactive transport processes on structural and hydrodynamic properties of a porous media at large time and spatial scales, numerical modeling is a powerful tool. Nevertheless, such models, to be realistic, need geochemical, structural and hydrodynamic data inputs representative of the studied reservoir or material. Here, we present an experimental study coupling traditional laboratory measurements and percolation experiments in order to obtain the parameters that define rock heterogeneity, which can be altered during the percolation of a reactive fluid. In order to validate the experimental methodology and identify the role of the initial heterogeneities on the localization of the reactive transport processes, we used three different limestones with different petrophysical characteristics. We tracked the changes of geochemical, structural and hydrodynamic parameters in these samples induced by the percolation of an acid fluid by measuring, before and after the percolation experiment, petrophysical and hydrodynamic properties of the rocks.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Serological evidence of chikungunya and malaria co-infection among febrile patients seeking health care in Karagwe district, Tanzania

Tanzania Journal of Health Research 2018; Vol. 20(4)Background: Chikungunya is an emerging mosquito-borne viral illness of major public health concern and is becoming a common infection in many geographical areas of Tanzania. This study was carried out to determine the incidence of malaria and chikungunya infections among febrile patients seeking medical care in Karagwe district, Tanzania. Methods: Febrile patients were enrolled into the study at Nyakahanga district designated hospital and Kayanga heath centre in May and June 2015. Questionnaires were administered to collect clinical and socio-demographic characteristics of patients. All participants were tested for malaria using malarial rapid diagnostic test and those tested positive by mRDT were confirmed by microscopy. Both outpatients tested malaria positive and negative were further screened for immunoglobulin M (IgM) and G (IgG) antibodies for chikungunya using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: A total of 400 febrile patients were enrolled in the study. Out of 400 febrile outpatients tested for malaria, 116 (28.75%) tested positive with mRDT. Microscopy confirmed presence malaria parasites in 112 (96.55%) of the malaria RDT-positive. The overall seroprevalence of chikungunya infection was 24.25% (97/400). Out of those chikungunya seropositive subjects, 89 (91.75%) had no malaria. Co-infection rate of chikungunya and malaria was found to be 7.14% (8/112). Conclusions: Our findings confirmed the existence of chikungunya and malaria co-infection among febrile patients seeking health care in Karagwe district. Chikungunya should be considered in the differential diagnosis of malaria for appropriate case management and in order to monitor the public health burden and to inform possible preventative and control measures

Serological evidence of chikungunya and malaria co-infection among febrile patients seeking health care in Karagwe district, Tanzania

Tanzania Journal of Health Research 2018; Vol. 20(4)Background: Chikungunya is an emerging mosquito-borne viral illness of major public health concern and is becoming a common infection in many geographical areas of Tanzania. This study was carried out to determine the incidence of malaria and chikungunya infections among febrile patients seeking medical care in Karagwe district, Tanzania. Methods: Febrile patients were enrolled into the study at Nyakahanga district designated hospital and Kayanga heath centre in May and June 2015. Questionnaires were administered to collect clinical and socio-demographic characteristics of patients. All participants were tested for malaria using malarial rapid diagnostic test and those tested positive by mRDT were confirmed by microscopy. Both outpatients tested malaria positive and negative were further screened for immunoglobulin M (IgM) and G (IgG) antibodies for chikungunya using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: A total of 400 febrile patients were enrolled in the study. Out of 400 febrile outpatients tested for malaria, 116 (28.75%) tested positive with mRDT. Microscopy confirmed presence malaria parasites in 112 (96.55%) of the malaria RDT-positive. The overall seroprevalence of chikungunya infection was 24.25% (97/400). Out of those chikungunya seropositive subjects, 89 (91.75%) had no malaria. Co-infection rate of chikungunya and malaria was found to be 7.14% (8/112). Conclusions: Our findings confirmed the existence of chikungunya and malaria co-infection among febrile patients seeking health care in Karagwe district. Chikungunya should be considered in the differential diagnosis of malaria for appropriate case management and in order to monitor the public health burden and to inform possible preventative and control measures

Prevalence of diabetes mellitus in patients seeking medical care at Morogoro Regional Referral Hospital in Tanzania

Tanzania Journal of Health Research2017, Vol. 19(4)Background: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a key metabolic endocrine disorder escalating in the course of rapid population growth, aging, urbanization, and increasing prevalence of obesity and physical inactivity. This study was conducted to assess prevalence of DM and associated risk factors among outpatients seeking medical care at Morogoro Regional Referral Hospital in Tanzania. Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out amongst 129 outpatients. Diabetic status was assigned using Gluco-plus Random Blood Glucose (RBG) ≥ 11.1mmol/L and a subject was confirmed to have diabetes when fasting plasma glucose was ≥7mmol/L. Structured questionnaire was administered to collect socio-demographic characteristics. Body Mass Index (BMI) was computed, with normal values ranging from 18.5-24.9 kg/m2, ˂18.5kg/m2 suggests underweight and/or malnutrition, from 25.0-29.9 is overweight; 30-39.9 is obese, while ≥40.0 is severe obesity. Data were analysed and Chi-square test was applied to test association between DM and overweight, age, smoking and alcohol intake. Results: Our findings indicated that an overall prevalence of diabetes was 10.08% for undiagnosed town dwellers outpatients. Out of 13 diabetic individuals, 4 (31%) were males and 9 (69 %) were females. In this study population, 26 (20.16%) were overweight and One of diabetic subjects had severe obesity, two were obese, seven were overweight and three had normal weight. The age, alcohol intake and overweight were found to be the risk factors significantly associated with DM. Conclusions: Our results indicate a higher prevalence of DM than the national estimate of 9.1 %. Thus DM still indicates a considerable health burden in Morogoro Municipality. Overweight, aging, alcohol consumption and physical inactivity were the main predisposing factors for DM morbidity. A regular screening and intervention programme for preventing DM in Morogoro Municipality is necessar

Prevalence of diabetes mellitus in patients seeking medical care at Morogoro Regional Referral Hospital in Tanzania

Tanzania Journal of Health Research2017, Vol. 19(4)Background: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a key metabolic endocrine disorder escalating in the course of rapid population growth, aging, urbanization, and increasing prevalence of obesity and physical inactivity. This study was conducted to assess prevalence of DM and associated risk factors among outpatients seeking medical care at Morogoro Regional Referral Hospital in Tanzania. Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out amongst 129 outpatients. Diabetic status was assigned using Gluco-plus Random Blood Glucose (RBG) ≥ 11.1mmol/L and a subject was confirmed to have diabetes when fasting plasma glucose was ≥7mmol/L. Structured questionnaire was administered to collect socio-demographic characteristics. Body Mass Index (BMI) was computed, with normal values ranging from 18.5-24.9 kg/m2, ˂18.5kg/m2 suggests underweight and/or malnutrition, from 25.0-29.9 is overweight; 30-39.9 is obese, while ≥40.0 is severe obesity. Data were analysed and Chi-square test was applied to test association between DM and overweight, age, smoking and alcohol intake. Results: Our findings indicated that an overall prevalence of diabetes was 10.08% for undiagnosed town dwellers outpatients. Out of 13 diabetic individuals, 4 (31%) were males and 9 (69 %) were females. In this study population, 26 (20.16%) were overweight and One of diabetic subjects had severe obesity, two were obese, seven were overweight and three had normal weight. The age, alcohol intake and overweight were found to be the risk factors significantly associated with DM. Conclusions: Our results indicate a higher prevalence of DM than the national estimate of 9.1 %. Thus DM still indicates a considerable health burden in Morogoro Municipality. Overweight, aging, alcohol consumption and physical inactivity were the main predisposing factors for DM morbidity. A regular screening and intervention programme for preventing DM in Morogoro Municipality is necessar

Proceedings of the dna barcording to combat wildlife crime workshop held at Arusha Institute of Accountancy, Arusha 19 th May 2016.

DNA Barcoding to combat Wildlife Crime Workshop May, 2016Poaching for both meat and trophy has always been a major challenge in conservation history. Illegal trade in wildlife and its products affect the survival of magnitude number of species. The population of rhinos and elephants for instance has declined in recent years as a result of escalation in organized trade in their products. This has necessitated many states to take active measures to protect their biodiversity in recent years.However, wildlife criminals (poachers and traffickers) continue to develop new ways to circumvent detection and prosecution. Crime investigators on the other hand fail to hold these criminals responsible with confidence due to lack of reliable forensic tools admissible in courts of law. The prosecutors try to prove that the suspects have committed crimes on wildlife but fail because criminals tried to remove overtindicative morphological features specific to poached animals. Over the recent years, this illegal wildlife poaching has turned into being a highly profitable business worldwide with remarkably low risks as trials of illegal wildlife traffickers are rare, largely because law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and judicial systems typically consider such crime a low priority. Large volumes of wildlife including those already at risk are being illegally poached and traded and if this trend is unabated it threatens future survival of some key species in East Africa region and beyond. To overt these challenges scientists are racing in arms to develop highly sensitive, accurate and high throughput DNA based techniques to mitigate these challenges. One of the leading examples of this development is the institution of a standardized global DNA- based barcode identification system which provides a simple, universal tool for the identification of wildlife species and their products.DNA barcoding has now become an accepted and commonly used method for species identification practiced by taxonomists, ecologists, forensic scientists and other researchers. A Google-supported Barcode of Wildlife Project (BWP) hosted by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington,successively initiated these initiatives in Kenya since 2012. Recently, BWP as expanded these training and technical assistance to new participants in Tanzania through the recently funded USAID-PEER project since 2015. The new participating institutions are Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) and Tanzania Wildlife Institute (TAWIRI

Molecular detection of arboviruses in Aedes mosquitoes collected from Kyela district, Tanzania

Arboviruses belong to a group of viruses that are transmitted by arthropods, mainly mosquitoes and ticks causing clinical disease symptoms in humans and animals ranging from febrile illnesses to hemorrhagic fevers. The present study aimed at examining the circulation of Chikungunya, Dengue, Yellow fever and Rift valley fever viral genomes in Aedes mosquitoes from Kyela district in Tanzania. A systematic vector surveillance spanning two months and covering 5 sites in Kyela district was carried out in order to evaluate the potential role of Aedes spp in arbovirus transmission in the study area. Mosquitoes were collected, identified to species level by using morphological keys, pooled in respect species and collection sites and screened for arboviruses by RT-PCR. Adult mosquitoes were collected from April to May, 2015 using CO 2 -baited CDC light traps, magnet traps as well as human landing collection (HLC). The study sites included Kyela town, Kajunjumele, Ipida, Matema and Njisi villages. A total of 480 bloodfeed Aedes ssp were collected, identified and grouped in to 24 pools (1-20 mosquitoes per pool) according to species level and location. Out of the 480 Aedes spp collected, Aedes aegypti represented the most abundant species totaling 338 (70.4%), followed by Aedes africanus 102 (21.2%) and Aedes natalensis being the minority 40 (8.3%). Arboviruses were detected in 9 pools (37.5%) including Alphaviruses (8 pools) and Flaviviruses (1 pool). No sample was positive for Bunyaviruses. Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) was detected in 6 (75%) alphavirus positive pools that were collected mostly in the areas where rice cultivation was common. The findings of this study suggest that people from this region are highly likely to be exposed to arbovirus infections which may represent significant public health concerns

Evidence of anti-chikungunya virus igg and igm antibodies among patients seeking treatment in different health facilities in Kyela District, Tanzania

Chikungunya is an arboviral disease transmitted by aedes mosquitoes, caused by Chikungungunya virus. It consists of an acute illness characterized by fever, rash, and incapacitating arthralgia. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of Chikungunya fever in patients presenting fever at different health facilities located in Kyela district. Out of 132 recruited patients, 94(71.2 %) were female and 38 (28.8 %) were male. The majority of them 80 (60.6%) were adults (≥25 years). Anti-Chikungunya virus anti-immunoglobulin G (IgG) and anti-immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies were detected in serum samples using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Chikungunya virus IgG or IgM antibodies were detected in 19 among 132 serum specimens tested indicating a seroprevalence of 14.3%. Out of 132 sera tested, 14 (11%) had IgG antibodies and 5(3.8%) had IgM antibodies. The higher anti-CHIKV IgG seroprevalence was found in female patients (OR= 3.22; 95% CI: 1.03-10.06) than in male. Similarly patients who took some medication before going to the health centre were found with high CHIKV IgG antibodies (OR= 13.912; 95% CI: 1.76-109.78) as well as in patients who never been vaccinated (OR=4.6; 95%CI: 0.02 – 1.71). Additionally, the uni-variate analysis results revealed, feeling nausea as the symptom of significant association with Chikungunya IgG seropositivity (OR = 4.5; 95% CI: 1.3– 14.4). These findings confirm that CHIKV infection seems to be among the common causes of febrile illness in Kyela district and appears to be actively circulating in the population but is routinely misdiagnosed. This suggests a need to raise awareness among health facilities and policy makers on the use of specific diagnosis for better control of arbovirus diseases in the study region