5 research outputs found
Challenges of camel production in Samburu District, Kenya
Abstract The objective of the study was to identify the challenges to camel production in Kenya's Samburu district. The data was collected through administration of structured and semi-structured questionnaire to a representative sample of the pastoralist household heads. The major causes of camel loss in the district were identified as predation (50.9%), drought (28.7%) and camel diseases (20.4%). Severe drought was reported to have occurred in the years; 1984 (12.4%), 1995 (9%), 2005 (42.1%), and 2006 (37.6%), and the livestock species most affected by the drought were cattle (98.1%), sheep (63.9%), donkeys (57.5%), goats (50.8%) and camels (31.2%). Water was reported to be inadequate in the district by 54.6% and 62.1% of the respondents respectively for livestock and human use. Herdsmen reported watering their camels from; rivers (24.6%), dry river beds (40%) and spring (7.7%). The livestock grazing area was reported to be getting smaller (45.7%), overgrazed (21.7%), and destroyed (13%), while only 13% believed that the grazing area had increased. Amongst the pastoralist who responded to the question on their source of income, 78.8% had no alternative source of income apart from livestock keeping. Conclusion: More resources should be allocated by the governments for improvement of camel production and the carrying capacity in pastoral production systems needs to be re-evaluated to ensure optimal productivity
Molecular profiling and antimicrobial resistance of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O26, O45, O103, O121, O145 and O157 isolates from cattle on cow-calf operations in South Africa
In this study, 140 cattle STEC isolates belonging to serogroups O157, O26, O145, O121, O103 and O45
were characterized for 38 virulence-associated genes, antimicrobial resistance profiles and genotyped
by PFGE. The majority of isolates carried both stx1 and stx2 concurrently, stx2c, and stx2d; plasmidencoded
genes ehxA, espP, subA and saa but lacked katP and etpD and eaeA. Possession of eaeA was
significantly associated with the presence of nle genes, katP, etpD, ureC and terC. However, saa and
subA, stx1c and stx1d were only detected in eaeA negative isolates. A complete OI-122 and most non-
LEE effector genes were detected in only two eaeA positive serotypes, including STEC O157:H7 and
O103:H2. The eaeA gene was detected in STEC serotypes that are commonly implicated in severe
humans disease and outbreaks including STEC O157:H7, STEC O145:H28 and O103:H2. PFGE revealed
that the isolates were highly diverse with very low rates of antimicrobial resistance. In conclusion, only
a small number of cattle STEC serotypes that possessed eaeA, had the highest number of virulenceassociated
genes, indicative of their high virulence. Further characterization of STEC O157:H7, STEC
O145:H28 and O103:H2 using whole genome sequencing will be needed to fully understand their
virulence potential for humans.This manuscript is part a
dissertation submitted in the Veterinary Public Health section, Department of Paraclinical Sciences, University
of Pretoria, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science (Veterinary Science). (http://hdl.handle.net/2263/65499)The Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD) (Grant
No. FY 2013/14âA0W907), the Global Disease Detection (GDD) Program of the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) (Grant No. 1U2GGH001874â01) and the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South
Africa Thuthuka (TTK13062619943), Research Technology (RTF14012762427) Funds.https://www.nature.com/srepam2019Paraclinical Science
Occurrence and characterisation of the seven major Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli serotypes from healthy beef cattle in South Africa
Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) is a food pathogen causing infections characterised by mild watery to severe bloody diarrhea and complications such as the hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Humans acquire STEC through consumption of contaminated foods of animal origin, vegetables and water. Cattle are the main reservoir of STEC. The severity of STEC infections in humans depends on a number of virulence factors encoded in the bacteriumâs genome. The seven major STEC serogroups most frequently incriminated in severe human disease outbreaks and HUS worldwide include O157, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145 and, O26, commonly referred to as the "top/big seven". Although STEC has been incriminated in human disease in South Africa, data on the role of played by cattle in human disease and virulence characteristics of cattle STEC are lacking. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to (i) investigate the presence of the seven major STEC serotypes in healthy beef cattle (cow-calf operations) and (ii) characterise isolates by serotype, virulence genes and markers, and antimicrobial resistance profiles. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was carried out to identify STEC serotypes (O and H antigens) and characterize the isolates by virulence factors and markers. The disk diffusion technique (Kirby Bauer test) was used to determine the antimicrobial resistance profiles of STEC isolates against a panel of 15 antimicrobials. Five hundred and seventy-eight STEC isolates (N=578), which had been previously recovered from 559 cattle from five beef farms were screened for STEC O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145 and O157. Confirmed STEC belonging to serogroups O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145 and O157 to isolates were characterised for major virulence genes including stx1, stx2, eaeA and ehxA. Furthermore, 140 isolates were characterised for xiii Shiga toxins (stx) subtypes, plasmid and pathogenicity island-encoded genes, and antimicrobials resistance profiles.Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2017.Paraclinical SciencesMScUnrestricte
Occurrence and characterization of seven major Shiga toxinâproducing Escherichia coli serotypes from healthy cattle on cowâcalf operations in South Africa
Cattle are a major reservoir of Shiga toxinâproducing Escherichia coli. This study investigated the occurrence of seven major STEC serogroups including O157, O145, O103, O121, O111, O45 and O26 among 578 STEC isolates previously recovered from 559 cattle. The isolates were characterized for serotype and major virulence genes. Polymerase chain reaction revealed that 41.7% (241/578) of isolates belonged to STEC O157, O145, O103, O121, O45 and O26, and 33 distinct serotypes. The 241 isolates corresponded to 16.5% (92/559) of cattle that were STEC positive. The prevalence of cattle that tested positive for at least one of the six serogroups across the five farms was variable ranging from 2.9% to 43.4%. Occurrence rates for individual serogroups were as follows: STEC O26 was found in 10.2% (57/559); O45 in 2.9% (16/559); O145 in 2.5% (14/559); O157 in 1.4% (8/559); O121 in 1.1% (6/559); and O103 in 0.4% (2/559). The following proportions of virulence genes were observed: stx1, 69.3% (167/241); stx2, 96.3% (232/241); eaeA, 7.1% (17/241); ehxA, 92.5% (223/241); and both stx1 and stx2, 62.2% (150/241) of isolates. These findings are evidence that cattle in South Africa carry STEC that belong to six major STEC serogroups commonly incriminated in human disease. However, only a subset of serotypes associated with these serogroups were clinically relevant in human disease. Most STEC isolates carried stx1, stx2 and ehxA but lacked eaeA, a major STEC virulence factor in human disease.The Gauteng Department of Agriculture Rural Development (GDARD) (Grant No. FY 2013/14-A0W907), the National Research Foundation (NRF)-Thuthuka Fund, the University of Pretoria, Institutional Research Theme (IRT)-Animal and Zoonotic Diseases (AZD) (Grant No. UP-AZD IRT A0W596), and the Global Disease Detection (GDD) Program of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (Grant No. 1U2GGH001874-01).http://wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/zph2019-11-01hj2019Paraclinical SciencesProduction Animal Studie
Prevalence of Cryptosporidia, Eimeria, Giardia, and Strongyloides in pre-weaned calves on smallholder dairy farms in Mukurwe-ini district, Kenya
Aim: Gastrointestinal diseases are among the leading causes of calf morbidity and mortality in Kenya and elsewhere. This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidia, Eimeria, Giardia, and Strongyloides in calves on smallholder dairy farms (SDF) in Mukurwe-ini District, Nyeri County, Kenya. These infections have been associated with economic losses by decreased growth rates, decreased productivity, and increased susceptibility to other diseases.
Materials and Methods: An observational study was conducted on 109 farms in Mukurwe-ini District, Nyeri County, Kenya, where 220 calf fecal samples (each calf at 4 and 6 weeks of age) from 110 calves (1 set of twins) were collected and analyzed for Cryptosporidia, Eimeria, Giardia, and helminth parasites.
Results: Eimeria oocysts, Cryptosporidia oocysts, and Strongyloides eggs were detected in the fecal samples examined, but no Giardia cysts were found. The overall period prevalence of Eimeria, Cryptosporidia, and Strongyloides was 42.7% (47/110), 13.6% (15/110), and 5.4% (6/110), respectively. The prevalence at 4 weeks of age for Eimeria, Cryptosporidia, and Strongyloides was 30.0% (33/110), 8.2% (9/110), and 3.7% (4/109), respectively, while the prevalence at 6 weeks of age was 20.2% (22/109), 6.5% (7/107), and 2.7% (3/110), respectively. There was, however, no significant difference in the prevalence at 4 and 6 weeks (p>0.05).
Conclusion: Findings from this study show that Eimeria, Cryptosporidia, and Strongyloides, are prevalent in the study area and indicate the need to adopt optimal management practices to control infections in calves