Breed effects on the virulence gene profiles and genetic diversity at FUT1, MUC4, MUC13 and MUC20 candidate genes for controlling diarrhoea-causing Escherichia coli.

Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.Escherichia (E) coli infections result in diarrhoea and oedema in growing pigs. Enterotoxigenic (ETEC), shigatoxin producing (STEC) and enteroaggregative (EAEC) E. coli have been identified as the principal causes of colibacillosis in most pig production systems. These E. coli use fimbrial and non-fimbrial adhesins to adhere to the intestines and cause infection. Absence or presence of the receptors on the intestinal walls determines the resistance or susceptibility of the host to the E. coli. In other populations, candidate genes linked to the receptors have been found to be associated with resistance/susceptibility to infection and are used in marker-assisted selection programs. This study investigated the presence and prevalence of ETEC, STEC and EAEC and the associated virulence genes in 263 E. coli isolates sampled from Landrace, Large White, Duroc and Indigenous piglets from the Animal Production Institute of the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) in Irene and Middledrift farm in Eastern Cape Province. The study also investigated polymorphisms at six candidate genes associated with two E. coli receptors in the same pig populations. Over 39 % of the isolates tested positive for the E. coli virulent genes investigated. None of the samples had fimbrial adhesins. The mode of attachment of the investigated E. coli was through non-fimbrial adhesins which were found in 49.06% of the isolates. The 106 E. coli isolates were categorized into 25 pathotypes carrying definable and unique combinations of E. coli virulence factors. The resistant allele for Alfa (1) fucosyltransferase 1 (FUT1) M307, a candidate gene for FI8R, was present in less than 1 % of the population. Various mutations of mucin genes MUC4 g.8227, MUC20 c1600 and g.191 were found in the population. Their respective alleles for controlling F4ab/ac E. coli adhesion in pigs were predominant in both breeds. Three loci (FUT1, MUC20 g.191 and MUC20 c.1600) deviated from Hardy Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) in the Indigenous and the Large White breeds. Heterozygotes deficiency and high levels of within breed diversity was observed in these two breeds at the mentioned loci. Overall, the study observed a wide range of toxin and colonisation factors (CFs) giving rise to diverse pathotypes in South African pigs. The absence of fimbrial adhesins suggests a different colibacillosis control program from that previously used. The presence of the resistant alleles in most of the loci investigated was low, however their presence suggest it is possible to use them to generate a resistant population using marker assisted selection. This study serves as a foundation for future pig colibacillosis control and immunity studies in the South African pig herds

Factors contributing to divorce among young couples at Lebowakgomo, Capricorn District- Limpopo Province

Thesis (M.A. (Social work)) -- University of Limpopo, 2017.The overall aim of this study is to explore factors that contribute towards divorce among young couples in the Lebowakgomo area of Limpopo Province. The objectives of this study were to identify factors contributing towards divorce among young couples in Lebowakgomo, and to establish whether the causes of divorce among young couples in Lebowakgomo are the same as those identified in the literature. The research used the qualitative method in the study and the exploratory research design to investigate the factors contributing to divorce among young couples at Lebowakgomo Township. The target group was divorced young adults up to the age of 35 years who had been married for the period of not more than ten years. The researcher used snowball sampling because he knew someone who met the criteria for inclusion in this study. The sample size was based on the principle of saturation which suggests that data collection stops when there is no new theme emerging. The researcher reached a point of saturation at participant six. The researcher used the semi-structured interview to collect data. This allowed the researcher to elicit information about the respondents’ thoughts, feelings and perceptions as open-ended questions were used. The researcher used Interpretative Phenomenological Data Analysis (IPA) which allowed the researcher to explore in detail how the participants made sense of their personal and social world. This study found that sudden character change, lack of and poor communication, financial problems, abuse and infidelity are associated with divorce among young couples. It also emerged in the study that mastering all the stages of family life cycle can reduce the chances of divorce among young couples. This can be achieved by ensuring that young couples receive pre-marital counselling before they enter into marriage. In addition, after entering into marriage young couples should attend marital enrichment programmes

Factors contributing to divorce among young couples in Lebowakgomo

The overall aim of this study was to explore factors that contribute towards divorce among young couples in Lebowakgomo. In conducting the study the researchers used the qualitative method and a case study design. Snowball sampling was used in this study. Eleven participants were thus identified and recruited. The sample size was based on the principle of saturation. The researchers used semi-structured interviews to collect data. Interpretative phenomenological data analysis was employed. The study found that sudden character change, lack of and poor communication, financial problems, abuse and infidelity were associated with divorce among young couples

Farmer challenge-derived indicators for assessing sustainability of low-input ruminant production systems in sub-Saharan Africa

The process of consulting stakeholders, particularly farmers, in developing appropriate indicators for sustainability evaluation of low-input ruminant systems is often compromised by limited awareness and understanding of the sustainability concept by farmers in developing countries. Insights from farmers’ challenges present useful prospects for developing context-specific sustainability evaluation indicators for low-input ruminant systems. In the present review, a meta-analysis was used to develop farmer challenge-derived indicators for the sustainability evaluation of low-input ruminant farming system in sub-Saharan Africa. Key ecological challenges reported were low forage quality, poor soil quality, feed shortages and; economic challenges were low poor marketing structure, high cost of labour, and poor transport network, poor marketing infrastructure; and social challenges were rural to urban migration, lack of animal breeding management and inadequate access to information. The corresponding derived ecological indicators were biomass quality, soil quality, high winds; economic indicators were available marketing infrastructure, labour costs, transport networks; and social indicators were rural to urban migration, animal management training and access to information. The review shows that farmers’ challenges can be transformed to indicators for assessing the sustainability of the low-input ruminant farming system in sub-Saharan Africa.The Department of Science and Technology-National Research Foundation (DST-NRF) Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Food Security.http://www.journals.elsevier.com/environmental-and-sustainability-indicatorshj2020Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS

Livestock Genomics for Developing Countries – African Examples in Practice

African livestock breeds are numerous and diverse, and typically well adapted to the harsh environment conditions under which they perform. They have been used over centuries to provide livelihoods as well as food and nutritional security. However, African livestock systems are dynamic, with many small- and medium-scale systems transforming, to varying degrees, to become more profitable. In these systems the women and men livestock keepers are often seeking new livestock breeds or genotypes - typically those that increase household income through having enhanced productivity in comparison to traditional breeds while maintaining adaptedness. In recent years genomic approaches have started to be utilized in the identification and development of such breeds, and in this article we describe a number of examples to this end from sub-Saharan Africa. These comprise case studies on: (a) dairy cattle in Kenya and Senegal, as well as sheep in Ethiopia, where genomic approaches aided the identification of the most appropriate breed-type for the local productions systems; (b) a cross-breeding program for dairy cattle in East Africa incorporating genomic selection as well as other applications of genomics; (c) ongoing work toward creating a new cattle breed for East Africa that is both productive and resistant to trypanosomiasis; and (d) the use of African cattle as resource populations to identify genomic variants of economic or ecological significance, including a specific case where the discovery data was from a community based breeding program for small ruminants in Ethiopia. Lessons learnt from the various case studies are highlighted, and the concluding section of the paper gives recommendations for African livestock systems to increasingly capitalize on genomic technologies.</p

Psychosocial Effects of Divorce on Young Women Who Grew Up in Divorced Families at Rustenburg, Moruleng Village

Parental divorce account for a host of emotional, behavioural, and social maladjustment in children and the phenomenon have been found to be a major risk factor for both internalizing and externalizing problems in children and young adults. Yet, limited research attention has focused on the effect of parental divorce and the psychosocial needs of children. These connections have implication for behaviour in adulthood. The present study therefore explored the psychosocial effects of divorce on young women who grew up in divorced families at Rustenburg, Moruleng Village. The study employed qualitative approach and exploratory research redesign. Sample of 5 young women from Rustenburg in Moruleng Village were sampled using snowball sampling technique and data was analysed thematically through the aid of Atlas Ti qualitative software. In this study, findings show that young women from divorced families expressed negative feelings and emotions and distorted emotions after episode of parental divorce. They further indicated that these young women in later adulthood develop and form hate characters as a result of the abusive and shock experiences during the processes of parental divorce. Based on these findings, it is recommended that government should prioritize children rights, particularly children from divorced families in South Africa and provide free counselling services for them as this will assist in decreasing negative feelings and emotions, promote positive behaviour and ensure stable adulthood behaviour

Bacterial enteritis in ostrich (Struthio Camelus) chicks in the Western Cape Province, South Africa

Ostrich (Struthio camelus) chicks less than 3 mo age are observed to experience a high mortality rate that is often associated with enteritis. This study was undertaken to investigate the infectious bacteria implicated in ostrich chick enteritis. Postmortems were performed on 122 ostrich chicks aged from 1 d to 3 mo and intestinal samples were subjected to bacterial culture. Bacterial isolates were typed by PCR and serotyping. Escherichia coli (E. coli; 49%) was the most frequently isolated from the samples followed by Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens; 20%), Enterococcus spp. (16%), and Salmonella spp. (7%). Of the E. coli, 39% were categorized as enteropathogenic E. coli, 4% enterotoxigenic E. coli, and no enterohaemorrhagic E. coli were found.The majority (93%) of C. perfringens was Type A and only 7% was Type E. C. perfringens Types B through D were not present. The netB gene that encodes NetB toxin was identified from 16% of the C. perfringens isolated. All the C. perfringens Type E harbored the netB gene and just 10% of the C. perfringens Type A had this gene. Three Salmonella serotypes were identified: Salmonella Muenchen (S. Muenchen; 80%), S. Hayindongo (13%), and S. Othmarschen (7%). The indication is that the cause of enteritis in ostrich chicks is bacterial-involving: enteropathogenic E. coli and enterotoxigenic E. coli; C. perfringens Types A and E (with the possible influence of netB gene); and S. Muenchen, S. Hayindongo, and S. Othmarschen.South African Ostrich Business Chamber and the Technology and Human Resources Program.http://ps.oxfordjournals.org2016-06-30hb201

From farm to table: Follow-up of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli throughout the pork production chain in Argentina

Pigs are important reservoirs of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). The entrance of these strains into the food chain implies a risk to consumers because of the severity of hemolytic uremic syndrome. This study reports the prevalence and characterization of STEC throughout the pork production chain. From 764 samples, 31 (4.05%) were stx positive by PCR screening. At farms, 2.86% of samples were stx positive; at slaughter, 4.08% of carcasses were stx positive and at boning rooms, 6% of samples were stx positive. These percentages decreased in pork meat ready for sale at sales markets (4.59%). From positive samples, 50 isolates could be characterized. At farms 37.5% of the isolates carried stx1/stx2 genes, 37.5% possessed stx2e and 25%, carried only stx2. At slaughter we detected 50% of isolates positive for stx2, 33% for stx2e, and 16% for stx1/stx2. At boning rooms 59% of the isolates carried stx1/stx2, 14% stx2e, and 5% stx1/stx2/stx2e. At retail markets 66% of isolates were positive for stx2, 17% stx2e, and 17% stx1/stx2. For the other virulence factors, ehxA and saa were not detected and eae gene was detected in 12% of the isolates. Concerning putative adhesins, agn43 was detected in 72%, ehaA in 26%, aida in 8%, and iha in 6% of isolates. The strains were typed into 14 E. coli O groups (O1, O2, O8, O15, O20, O35, O69, O78, O91, O121, O138, O142, O157, O180) and 10 H groups (H9, H10, H16, H21, H26, H29, H30, H32, H45, H46). This study reports the prevalence and characterization of STEC strains through the chain pork suggesting the vertical transmission. STEC contamination originates in the farms and is transferred from pigs to carcasses in the slaughter process and increase in meat pork at boning rooms and sales markets. These results highlight the need to implement an integrated STEC control system based on good management practices on the farm and critical control point systems in the food chain.Fil: Colello, Rocío. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Departamento de Sanidad Animal y Medicina Preventiva. Laboratorio de Inmunoquímica y Biotecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comision de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil; ArgentinaFil: Cáceres, María Emilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comision de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Departamento de Sanidad Animal y Medicina Preventiva. Laboratorio de Inmunoquímica y Biotecnología; ArgentinaFil: Ruiz, María Julia. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Departamento de Sanidad Animal y Medicina Preventiva. Laboratorio de Inmunoquímica y Biotecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comision de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil; ArgentinaFil: Sanz, Marcelo Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comision de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Departamento de Sanidad Animal y Medicina Preventiva. Laboratorio de Inmunoquímica y Biotecnología; ArgentinaFil: Etcheverría, Analía Inés. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comision de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Departamento de Sanidad Animal y Medicina Preventiva. Laboratorio de Inmunoquímica y Biotecnología; ArgentinaFil: Padola, Nora Lía. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comision de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Departamento de Sanidad Animal y Medicina Preventiva. Laboratorio de Inmunoquímica y Biotecnología; Argentin