Fasciolosis: Prevalence, financial losses due to liver condemnation and evaluation of a simple sedimentation diagnostic technique in cattle slaughtered at Hawassa Municipal abattoir, southern Ethiopia

This study was carried out from November 2007 to April 2008 to determine the prevalence of fasciolosis and costs incurred due to liver condemnation and evaluate the sensitivity of direct sedimentation method for diagnosis of fasciolosis in cattle slaughtered at Hawassa Municipal abattoir. A total of 3251 adult indigenous cattle were slaughtered at the abattoir during the study period, of which 931 animals (28.63%) were found to be positive for fasciolosis. There was a statistically significant (χ2 = 33.10; p = 0.004) variation in prevalence between the study months where the highest (35.6%) and lowest (21.03%) prevalence were recorded in February and April, respectively. Fasciola hepatica (58.9%) was the predominant fluke identified compared to F. gigantica (10.6%). Mixed infections by both species and unidentified immature flukes were detected in 14.7% and 15.8% of the affected livers, respectively. The mean fluke burden in the affected livers was 55 flukes per liver. As to the severity of infection, 36.63%, 52.31% and 11.06% were lightly, moderately and severely affected, respectively. Moderately affected livers showed the highest mean fluke count (69 ± 1.91) followed by severely (48 ± 1.71) and lightly affected ones (25 ± 1.75) signifying the presence of acquired resistance and local tissue reaction as chronicity of infection supervenes. Taking liver examination as gold standard for diagnosis of fasciolosis, the sensitivity of the direct sedimentation technique was found to be 67.13% and the specificity 100% with substantial agreement (k = 0.74) between the two methods. The financial loss due to liver condemnation was estimated to be 106,400 Ethiopian birr (8312.5 USD) per annum. In conclusion, the observation of such a level of infection in the dry season, high fluke pathogenicity and substantial financial loss associated with condemnation of infected livers warrants the institution of appropriate control measures. Keywords: Cattle, fasciolosis, financial loss, Hawassa abattoir, prevalence, southern Ethiopi

A dynamic model of transmission and elimination of peste des petits ruminants in Ethiopia

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR), a devastating viral disease of sheep and goats, has been targeted by the global community for eradication within the next 15 years. Although an efficacious attenuated live vaccine is available, the lack of knowledge about the transmission potential of PPR virus (PPRV) may compromise eradication efforts. By fitting a metapopulation model simulating PPRV spread to the results of a nationwide serological survey in Ethiopia, we estimated the level of viral transmission in an endemic setting and the vaccination coverage required for elimination. Results suggest that the pastoral production system as a whole acts as a viral reservoir, from which PPRV spills over into the sedentary production system, where viral persistence is uncertain. Estimated levels of PPRV transmission indicate that viral spread could be prevented if the proportion of immune small ruminants is kept permanently above 37% in at least 71% of pastoral village populations. However, due to the high turnover of these populations, maintaining the fraction of immune animals above this threshold would require high vaccine coverage within villages, and vaccination campaigns to be conducted annually. Adapting vaccination strategies to the specific characteristics of the local epidemiological context and small ruminant population dynamics would result in optimized allocation of limited resources and increase the likelihood of PPR eradication

Analysing the temporal water quality dynamics of Lake Basaka, Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

Abstract: This study presents the general water quality status and temporal quality dynamics of Lake Basaka water in the past about 5 decades. Water samples were collected and analysed for important physico-chemical quality parameters following standard procedures. The result showed that Lake Basaka water is highly saline and alkaline and experiencing a general reducing trends in ionic concentrations of quality parameters due to the dilution effect. About 10-fold reduction of total ionic concentration occurred in the Lake over the period of 2 decades (1960-1980). There was a sharp and fast decline in EC, Cl, SO4, Na, and K ions from early 1960s up to the late 1980s, and then became relatively stable. Some ions (eg. Na, Ca, Mg, Cl, SO4) are showing increment in recent years. This characteristics of the lake water is terrible in relation to its potential to inundate the nearby areas in the near future. The expansion of such quality water has negative effects on the water resources of the region, especially soil quality, drainage and groundwater, in terms of salinity, sodicity and specific ion toxicity. The regimes of soil moisture, solute and groundwater could be affected, concurrently affecting the productivity and sustainability of the sugar estate. Thus, there is an urgent need to identify the potential sources of water and chemicals to the lake and devise an appropriate mitigation and/or remedial measures

Genotype by environment interaction and grain yield stability of Ethiopian black seeded finger millet genotypes

Finger millet ( Eleusine coracana \ua0(L.) Gaertn) is an important cereal widely produced in Ethiopia across diverse agro-ecologies. It is valued by local farmers for its ability to grow in adverse agro-climatic conditions, where other cereals fail. The yield potential of this crop is in the range of 4-5 tonnes/ha, but the current national average grain yield is far below the potential (2.1 tonnes). Lack of improve varieties which are stable, high yielder and stress tolerant is a major limiting factor to production of this crop in Ethiopia. A field experiment was conducted using twelve black seeded finger millet (Eleusine coracana subsp. coracana) genotypes, including local and standard checks (Degu) at two locations (Bako and Gute) in Ethiopia for three years (2014 - 2016). The objective of this study was to identify stable and high yielding genotypes for grain yield and other agronomic traits among the black seeded finger millet genotypes of Ethiopia. The additive main effect and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) model analysis of variance revealed highly significant (P<0.01) differences between environments, genotype, and Interaction Principal Component Analysis (IPCA-I), but significant variations (P<0.05) for G x E interactions. This indicates that the genotypes performed differently over environments and that the test environments are highly variable. Only the first IPCA-I showed high significance (P<0.01) and contributed 48.39% of the total genotype by environment interaction (G x E). Genotypes BKFM0020, BKFM0006 and BKFM0010, which had high grain yield, but with IPCA value close to zero, indicated the wide adaptability/stability. Similarly, analysis using Eberhart and Russell model revealed that these genotypes were within the relatively acceptable range of regression coefficients (bi), approaching to one (0.742, 0.8176 and 1.0578), and deviation from regression closer to zero (s2di) (0.0385, -0.0661 and -0.0248), respectively. This implied that pipeline genotypes were stable, widely adaptable and high yielders than the other genotypes. Genotype and genotype by environment (GGE bi-plot) analysis also revealed that these candidate genotypes were stable and high yielder. Besides, these genotypes showed resistance to blast disease, which is a threat to finger millet production in the study areas. Therefore, these genotypes were selected as potential candidates for possible release in western Oromia and similar agro-ecologies of the country.Le petit mil ( Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn) est une c\ue9r\ue9ale importante largement produite en \uc9thiopie dans les diff\ue9rents zones agro-\ue9cologiques. Il est appr\ue9ci\ue9 par les agriculteurs locaux pour sa capacit\ue9 de grandir dans des conditions agro-climatiques d\ue9favorables, o\uf9 les autres c\ue9r\ue9ales \ue9chouent. Le potentiel du rendement en grain de cette culture de mil se situe entre 4 \ue0 5 t ha-1, mais le rendement moyen national actuel est tr\ue8s inf\ue9rieur au potentiel (2,1 tonnes). Le manque de vari\ue9t\ue9s am\ue9lior\ue9es, stables, \ue0 rendement en grain \ue9lev\ue9 et tol\ue9rantes au stress est un t facteur majeur limitant la production de cette culture de mil en \uc9thiopie. Une exp\ue9rience au champs a \ue9t\ue9 conduite avec douze g\ue9notypes des grains noir de mil (Eleusine coracana subsp. Coracana), y compris des contr\uf4les locaux et standard (Degu) \ue0 deux locations (Bako et Gute) en \uc9thiopie pendant trois ans (2014 - 2016). L\u2019objectif de cette \ue9tude \ue9tait d\u2019identifier des g\ue9notypes stables et de rendement tr\ue8s\ua0\ue9lev\ue9 pour le rendement en grain de mil et d\u2019autres caract\ue9ristiques agronomiques parmi les genotypes des grains noir de mil en \uc9thiopie. L\u2019analyse de variance du methode avec effet principal additif et interaction multiplicative (AIM) a r\ue9v\ue9l\ue9 des diff\ue9rences tr\ue8s significatives (P <0,01) entre les locations, le g\ue9notype et l\u2019analyse en composantes principales de l\u2019interaction (IPCA-I), mais des variations significatives (P <0,05) pour G x E interactions. Cela indique que les g\ue9notypes se sont comport\ue9s diff\ue9remment selon les locations et que les locations de test sont tr\ue8s variables. Seule la premi\ue8re IPCA-I a montr\ue9 une signification \ue9lev\ue9e (P <0,01) et a contribu\ue9 pour 48,39% du total des interactions g\ue9notype par la location (G x E). G\ue9notypes BKFM0020, BKFM0006 et BKFM0010, qui avait un rendement en grain \ue9lev\ue9, mais avec une valeur IPCA proche de z\ue9ro, a indiqu\ue9 la grande adaptabilit\ue9 / stabilit\ue9. De m\ueame, une analyse utilisant les m\ue9thodes\ua0d\u2019Eberhart et Russell a r\ue9v\ue9l\ue9 que ces g\ue9notypes se situaient dans la plage relativement acceptable des coefficients de r\ue9gression (bi), se rapprochant de un (0,742, 0,8176 et 1,0578) et de l\u2019\ue9cart par rapport \ue0 la r\ue9gression proche de z\ue9ro (s2di) (0,0385, 0,0661 et -0,0248), respectivement. Cela impliquait que les g\ue9notypes de pipeline \ue9taient stables, largement adaptables et ont eu le rendement tr\ue8s\ua0\ue9lev\ue9 que les autres g\ue9notypes. Les analyses de g\ue9notype et g\ue9notype par la location (bi-parcelle GGE) ont \ue9galement r\ue9v\ue9l\ue9 que ces g\ue9notypes candidats \ue9taient stables et avaient une bonne rentabilit\ue9. En outre, ces g\ue9notypes ont montr\ue9 une r\ue9sistance \ue0 la maladie fongique qui constitue une menace pour la production de mil dans les zones d\u2018 \ue9tude. Par cons\ue9quent, ces g\ue9notypes ont \ue9t\ue9 s\ue9lectionn\ue9s comme candidats potentiels pour une lib\ue9ration \ue9ventuelle dans l\u2019ouest d\u2019Oromia et des zones agro-\ue9cologiques similaires du pays

Natural coagulates for wastewater treatment; a review for application and mechanism

The increase of water demand and wastewater generation is among the global concerns in the world. The less effective management of water sources leads to serious consequences, the direct disposal of untreated wastewater is associated with the environmental pollution, elimination of aquatic life and the spread of deadly epidemics. The flocculation process is one of the most important stages in water and wastewater treatment plants, wherein this phase the plankton, colloidal particles, and pollutants are precipitated and removed. Two major types of coagulants are used in the flocculation process included the chemical and natural coagulants. Many studies have been performed to optimize the flocculation process while most of these studies have confirmed the hazardous effects of chemical coagulants utilization on the ecosystem. This chapter reviews a summary of the coagulation/flocculation processes using natural coagulants as well as reviews one of the most effective natural methods of water and wastewater treatment

Debt Sustainability and direction of trade: What does Africa’s shifting engagement with BRIC and OECD tells us?

This study assesses the evolution of debt sustainability in the Sub Saharan African (SSA) region. It also examines the respective contributions of OECD and BRIC to debt sustainability in the region. We reveal how the external demand for SSA goods and services from OECD and BRIC helps to lower ‘debt-to-exports’ and ‘debt-service-to-exports’ ratios, two of the main gauges of debt sustainability. Furthermore, using simple growth accounting, we assess how the net exports by SSA to the OECD and BRIC contributes to the region’s GDP growth, and thus indirectly helps to lower the ‘debt-to-GDP’ ratio, which is another important measure of indebtedness. Our study also compares the ‘actual’ debt levels of SSA with ‘hypothetical’ debt levels that simulate the contributions of OECD and BRIC. On the basis of debt sustainability thresholds of the joint IMF-World Bank Debt Sustainability Framework (DSF), we test how the sustainability of SSA debt has evolved overtime and how much the OECD and BRIC contribute to three classes of ‘weak’, ‘medium’ and ‘strong’ debt sustainability targets

Brucellosis remains a neglected disease inthe developing world: a call forinterdisciplinary action

Brucellosis places significant burdens on the human healthcare system and limits the economic growth of individuals, communities, and nations where such development is especially important to diminish the prevalence of poverty. The implementation of public policy focused on mitigating the socioeconomic effects of brucellosis in human and animal populations is desperately needed. When developing a plan to mitigate the associated consequences, it is vital to consider both the abstract and quantifiable effects. This requires an interdisciplinary and collaborative, or One Health, approach that consists of public education, the development of an infrastructure for disease surveillance and reporting in both veterinary and medical fields, and campaigns for control in livestock and wildlife species

Brucellosis in Sub-Saharan Africa:Current challenges for management, diagnosis and control

Brucellosis is a highly contagious zoonosis caused by bacteria of the genus Brucella and affecting domestic and wild mammals. In this paper, the bacteriological and serological evidence of brucellosis in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and its epidemiological characteristics are discussed. The tools available for the diagnosis and treatment of human brucellosis and for the diagnosis and control of animal brucellosis and their applicability in the context of SSA are presented and gaps identified. These gaps concern mostly the need for simpler and more affordable antimicrobial treatments against human brucellosis, the development of a B. melitensis vaccine that could circumvent the drawbacks of the currently available Rev 1 vaccine, and the investigation of serological diagnostic tests for camel brucellosis and wildlife. Strategies for the implementation of animal vaccination are also discussed.Publishe