Bancroftian filariasis in Kwale District, Kenya

Objective: To determine the prevalence of Wuchereria bancrofti infection in an area designated for filariasis control trial.Design: A cross-sectional survey.Setting: Three villages in Kinango location, Kwale district, Coast Province, Kenya.Subjects/participants: Oral informed consent to participate was obtained from adults and parents or guardians of children below fifteen years of age.Main outcome measures: Microfilaraemia prevalences, microfilarial densities and clinical manifestations.Results: The overall prevalence of microfilaraemia in the population was 16.4%. The prevalence of microfilaraemia was age-dependent and the overall microfilarial density (MFD) was 69.4 mf/ml (geometric mean) and significantly higher in males (95.8 mf/ml) than in females (48.6 mf/ml) (p < 0.05). The prevalence of clinical signs of infection was also agedependent with elephantiasis being significantly higher in females (2.3%) than in males (0.9%) (p < 0.05). Among the males, the major clinical manifestation was hydrocele (10.4%).Conclusion: These findings show high prevalence of bancroftian filariasis in Kwale district and warrant similar studies followed by implementation of intervention measures to reduce transmission in all areas of endemicity in the Coast Province

Economic value and latent demand for agricultural drought forecast: Emerging market for weather and climate information in Central-Southern Nigeria

Provision of weather and climate services are expected to improve the capacity for rural households’ preparedness and response plans to weather shocks. With increase in public investments in developing and communicating weather information on local scale in Nigeria, uncertainty in timescales that meet farmers’ needs and economic value of the information is still poorly understood. It is now a policy concern on whether farmers’ preferences and demands might increase its uptake. This study analyzed the economic value, latent demand, and emerging market of weather and climate information in Central-Southern Nigeria. Farm-level cross-sectional data reveals that 76% of the respondents were willing to pay for improved weather information and early warnings in taking climate smart decisions. Within farmers who showed positive responses, 86% would pay for sub-seasonal to seasonal weather information while 38% would pay for medium and short range weather information respectively. The economic value of sub-seasonal to seasonal weather information was estimated at N1600 ($3.60) per year per capita with total aggregated value of N1.3 billion ($2.9 m) yearly for the derived savannah area. Predictive total market value of N17.43billion ($39 m) would be obtained from improved weather information in Nigeria. Simulated results of 5$193,360) for service providers. Large farm size, good farm-income, mobile phone dissemination channels, and location-specific information were drivers of farmers’ uptake decisions of weather information in the dry savannah area. The huge emerging market for improved weather information should be developed into a public–private market to efficiently facilitate uptake and use in Nigeria

Understanding the role of user needs and perceptions related to sub-seasonal and seasonal forecasts on farmers decisions in Kenya: a systematic review

One major challenge facing farmers and other end-users of weather and climate information in Kenya is the linkage between their perceptions, needs and engagements with producers of the information. This is highlighted by increased interest in understanding the constraints on appropriate use of weather and climate information by farmers in decision making. Farmers face extreme weather impacts which constraint the use and choice of the appropriate weather information and other services. The choice between sub-seasonal and seasonal forecasts can enable better decisions by farmers if the forecast information is reliable and integrated through a co-production process.The objective of this study was to analyse the user needs and perceptions of crop farmers, pastoralists and agro-pastoralists in relation to sub-seasonal and seasonal forecasts for 5 counties in Kenya. A total of 200 peer-reviewed and grey literatures were systematically reviewed to understand how the needs and perceptions of users of weather and climate information shaped access and use in decision making. The study also reviewed whether sub-seasonal and seasonal forecasts were adopted and used appropriately.Results show that farmers' perceptions shaped the choice of weather and climate information while sub-seasonal and seasonal forecasts were used for diverse applications. Gender, availability of resources, access and mode of communication were some of the factors influencing use of the information. One lesson learnt was that farmers combined weather and climate information with other coping practices such as agronomic practices and water efficiency management. However, a number of challenges were faced by the users such as insufficient resources, lack of access to information and poor engagement with weather forecasters and extension services.2 This is a provisional file, not the final typeset article This study recommends stakeholder engagements with producers in development of products and services to improve uptake and use of forecasts in decision making

Plasma Micronutrient Concentrations Are Altered by Antiretroviral Therapy and Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements in Lactating HIV-Infected Malawian Women

Background: Little is known about the influence of antiretroviral therapy with or without micronutrient supplementation on the micronutrient concentrations of HIV-infected lactating women in resource-constrained settings

Effect of cytomegalovirus infection on breastfeeding transmission of HIV and on the health of infants born to HIV-infected mothers

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection can be acquired in utero or postnatally through horizontal transmission and breastfeeding. The effect of postnatal CMV infection on postnatal HIV transmission is unknown

Evaluating Nurses' Implementation of an Infant-Feeding Counseling Protocol for HIV-Infected Mothers: The Ban Study in Lilongwe, Malawi

A process evaluation of nurses’ implementation of an infant-feeding counseling protocol was conducted for the Breastfeeding, Antiretroviral and Nutrition (BAN) Study, a prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV clinical trial in Lilongwe, Malawi. Six trained nurses counseled HIV-infected mothers to exclusively breastfeed for 24 weeks postpartum and to stop breastfeeding within an additional four weeks. Implementation data were collected via direct observations of 123 infant feeding counseling sessions (30 antenatal and 93 postnatal) and interviews with each nurse. Analysis included calculating a percent adherence to checklists and conducting a content analysis for the observation and interview data. Nurses were implementing the protocol at an average adherence level of 90% or above. Although not detailed in the protocol, nurses appropriately counseled mothers on their actual or intended formula milk usage after weaning. Results indicate that nurses implemented the protocol as designed. Results will help to interpret the BAN Study’s outcomes

Adherence to extended postpartum antiretrovirals is associated with decreased breast milk HIV-1 transmission

Estimate association between postpartum antiretroviral adherence and breastmilk HIV-1 transmissio

Editorial: Micronutrients in heath and disease

(East African Medical Journal 2001 78 (9): 449-450

The Utilization and Preservation Practices of Jute Mallow (Corchorus olitorius) in Western Kenya

Background: Jute mallow (Corchorus olitorius) is a nutritious African leafy vegetable that is grown and consumed by local communities in Kenya. However, despite its nutritional superiority, its utilization is limited primarily due to its seasonality. Aim: This study sought to document the utilization and preservation practices of jute mallow in Western Kenya. Methodology: A cross-sectional study, that involved a household survey (n =139), of jute mallow producers in Kakamega County of Western Kenya, was conducted. Results: Half (50.4%) of the households sourced their vegetables from their farms, while 37.4% sourced them from roadside vendors during the dry season. Jute mallow was mainly (57.6%) consumed as an accompaniment with other vegetables including African Nightshade and Amaranth. Approximately half (52.51%) of the households, employed a method of preservation. There was a significant association (p = 0.01) between age and preservation practices, where middle-aged people (35-50 years) had a higher likelihood of employing a preservation method. &nbsp;Women were also significantly (p = 0.024) more likely to preserve vegetables than men. Sun drying was practiced by 15.8% of the study population, 18.7% practiced fermentation, while 18% practiced both fermentation and sun-drying. The methods of sun-drying were well developed, where prior blanching, was incorporated by 33.3% of the participants. Sun-drying extended the shelf-life of jute mallow by 4.02 ± 3.151 months, while fermentation was 7 days. The leaves of both forms of preservation had relatively high acceptability ratios to the fresh forms at 40% and 48% for fermented and dried forms, respectively.&nbsp; Conclusion: There is a huge potential for low-cost preservation methods in ensuring the availability of jute mallow. However, it is necessary to investigate the viability of these methods on the nutritional quality and safety of jute mallow to improve food security

Prevalence of vitamin A deficiency among pre-school and school aged children in Arssi zone, Ethiopia

Objective: To investigate vitamin A status of pre-school and school aged children in the study area. Design: Cross-sectional Setting: Arssi, Ethiopia Subjects: Four hundred and two children Results: Night blindness, Bitots spot, corneal xerosis, corneal ulceration and corneal scar were observed in 7.2%, 2.2 %, 0.2%, 0.5%, and 0.5% of the children respectively. The prevalence of xerophthalmia was higher in school aged children than pre-school children (P< 0.0001). Based on the WHO recommended cut-off level, serum retinol levels were in the “low” range