Mosquito abundance and molecular detection of arboviruses in Kyela district, Tanzania

Arboviruses belong to various families of viruses that are transmitted by arthropods, mainly mosquitoes and ticks causing clinical disease symptoms in humans ranging from febrile illnesses to hemorrhagic fevers. A systematic vector surveillance spanning two months and covering five sites in Kyela district was carried out in order to determine mosquito abundance and evaluate the potential role of Aedes spp in arbovirus transmission in the study area. Mosquitoes were collected, identified to species levels by using morphological keys, pooled by species and collection sites and screened for arboviruses by RT-PCR. Adult mosquitoes were collected from April to May, 2015 using, three CO2-baited CDC light traps. Additionally, two mosquito Magnet traps were used as well as human landing collection (HLC) was conducted in Kyela town, Kajunjumele, Ipida, Matema and Njisi villages. A total of 1 830 mosquito were collected and identified. The most abundant mosquito collected were recorded in Kyela town 33% (n=601) followed by Kajunjumele 21.3% (n=391). Culex quinquefasciatus was the most collected 40.4% (n=740), followed by Aedes aegypti 26.8% (n=480). Out of these, four genera including Culex 41% (n=750), Aedes 27.2% (n=499), Mansonia 16.5% (n=301) and Anopheles 15.3% (n=280) representing 9 species were identified and shown to be present in Kyela. Aedes mosquitoes were pooled into 24 groups of 20 mosquitoes and among them, nine (37.5%) were positive for both Alphaviruses and Flaviviruses. Chikungunya viruses were the only virus detected in six positive pools of Alphavirus genus (75%) that were collected mostly in the areas where rice cultivation is common. The findings of this study suggest that people from this iii region are highly likely to be exposed to arbovirus infections which may represent significant public health concerns. Further studies to define the risk factors, characterize the circulating viruses and elucidate the epidemiological factors are required in order to institute national interventions to prevent and control these infections.Southern African Centre for Infectious Diseases Surveillance (SACIDS

Mixed infection of peste-des-petits ruminants and Capripox in goats in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo

Objective: We aimed at determining the prevalence and characterizing the CaPV, determining the CaPV-PPRV coinfection prevalence and providing data about phylogenetic relationship between the fusion protein of PPRV and P32 gene of CaPV. Materials and methods: A total of 150 samples including animals swabs, tissues and blood were collected from unvaccinated goats in a PPR and/or Capripox outbreaks in South Kivu, Eastern of Democratic Republic of the Congo. Conventional PCR and reverse transcriptase (RT-PCR) were used respectively to amplify P32, RPO30, GPCR genes of Capripox virus and Fusion (F) protein of PPRV. Positive samples were sequenced for phylogenetic analysis. Results: Out of 150 tested animals, 64.7% (n=97/150) were PPRV positive, 52.7% (n=79/150) were Capripox positive and 38.7% (n=58/150) were positive for both PPRV and CaPV. The pairwise comparison of P32 gene of CaPV and F gene of PPRV showed 99.75% of identity percentage among goatpox virus sequences, 96.95% among PPRV sequences and 47.91% between CaPV and PPRV sequences. Conclusion: The study has demonstrated high prevalence of CaP V-PPRV mixed infection in South Kivu. Lumpy skin virus disease (LSVD) is a lineage circulating which has a genetic relationship between its P32 gene and the F gene of PPRV giving the challenge to differentiate the two diseases at the clinical farm level. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2017; 4(4.000): 348-355

Essaie de production et composition chimique des asticots élevés sur des substrats locaux au Sud-Kivu (RDC)

Objectifs : Ce travail visait à évaluer la productivité des substrats disponibles localement ainsi que la composition chimique des asticots élevés sur ces substrats afin de proposer aux éleveurs du milieu les sources alternatives des protéines, peu concurrentielles avec l’homme. Méthodologie et résultats : L’expérience était menée dans un hangar en bâche ouvert, de 11 m de long, 5 m de large et 2 m de hauteur au CRSN/Lwiro. Elle a porté sur 9 substrats dont 3 d’origine végétale et 6 d’origine animale pour produire les asticots. Après la capture manuelle des mouches sur différents substrats, l’identification a été faite sur base leurs caractères morphologiques au laboratoire d’entomologie du CRSN/Lwiro. Pour les paramètres de production, 40 asticots par traitement ont été prélevés afin de déterminer la taille moyenne des asticots. Quant à la composition chimique, les échantillons d’asticots ont été séchés à l'étuve à 70°C puis broyés et directement analysés pour déterminer les teneurs en glucide, protéines brutes et en matières grasses. Les résultats obtenus révèlent la présence de trois familles de mouches : Calliphoridae, Muscidae et Sarcophagidae qui sont impliquées dans la ponte sur différents sous-produits utilisés comme substrats. Il a été aussi observé que les substrats d’origine animale sont les plus productifs en asticots par rapport à ceux d’origine végétale y compris les crottes de chèvres dont la production était nulle (0,00756˂0,05). Quant à la composition chimique des larves, elle dépend en majeur partie des substrats alimentaires sur lesquels elles sont produites, mais également de leur stade de développement. Ainsi, les larves du 4e cycle de production sont plus riches en protéine, glucide et lipide que celles du 1re, 2e et 3e cycle. Conclusion et application des résultats : Enfin, les asticots de ces trois familles de mouches peuvent donc constituer les sources locales des protéines surtout à leur 4e cycle et ainsi réduire le coût exorbitant lié à la nutrition animale afin de combattre la concurrence alimentaire entre l’homme et les animaux. La valorisation des déchets produisant les asticots constitue aussi un moyen d’assainir les milieux et de lutter contre la pollution atmosphérique.Mots clés : Asticots, substrats, productivité, composition chimique, RD Cong

Prevalence and economic losses of calf fetal wastage in ELAKAT public slaughterhouse of Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo

Aim: This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of calf fetal wastage and its economic implications at ELAKAT slaughterhouse, Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) to fill the research gap in relationship with this thematic. The study investigations took place from May to September 2018. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried at the slaughterhouse. For each visit, the number of cattle slaughtered, the number of pregnant cows slaughtered, and gestational ages (stage of pregnancy of the dam, and estimated by crown-rump length) of the fetuses were recorded. Results: Out of the 1035 cattle slaughtered during the study period, 970 were females. A total of 255 fetuses were recovered, representing a fetal recovery rate of 26.28%. The study established that one fetus was lost out of 4.5 cows slaughtered, and most of fetuses recovered (58.1%) were in the first trimester of gestation while 29.1% and 12.8% were, respectively, in the second and third trimester. Their age varied from 1.2 to 8.6 months, with body length ranging from 14 cm to 92 cm while their weight varied from 1.0 kg to 23.0 kg. The economic loss associated with the total cattle fetal wastages was estimated at Congo Democratic Francs (CDF) 29,906,400 ($15,787.5) with a monthly average of CDF 5,981,280 ($3,157.5). Conclusion: These results attested that slaughtering pregnant cows constitute a strong constraint on cattle industry development in DR Congo. Urgent measures, such as adequate enforcement of legislations on routine veterinary examinations at slaughterhouses as well as livestock owner's sensitization, are required to avoid selling pregnant cows during calving season

Population Behavior and Practices during the First Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic in Low Resource-Conditions of South Kivu, East of Democratic Republic of Congo

Background: In DR Congo, South Kivu is among cities most affected by Covid 19 with its dense population and common mass movement. This study aimed at investigating the population beh