Isolation and identification of Listeria species along the milk value chain in one region of Tanzania

Milk is an important source of nutrients in the diet. However, due to its nutritional nature it also serves as an ideal medium for growth and development of various microorganisms under suitable conditions. It is a staple food, which is linked to zoonotic pathogens. This study was carried out in two districts (one region namely Tanga) of Tanzania to evaluate the awareness of farmers on milk contamination and to estimate microbial load along the milk value chain. In total 114 respondents were visited to conducted interviews on awareness as well as strategies for solving the problem of milk contamination. Subsequently milk samples were aseptically collected from each of the 114 respondents for laboratory analyses using the standard ISO procedures for food microbial analyses in particular the horizontal methods. We have showed that there are poor hygienic practices by the majority of actors along the milk value chain in Tanga region. Concerning microbial level, our results revealed that above 90 percent of all samples collected showed total plate count (TPC) above standard acceptable in the Eastern Africa countries (EAC) of 2.0x105 CFU/ml. It was also shown that there was more contamination in milk samples obtained from the household farms compared to those which were collected from the milk suppliers and in the extensive farming system than in the intensive system (P < 0.05). Moreover, three Listeria species namely L. innocua, L. ivanovii and L. monocytogenes were identified. L. monocytogenes were isolated and identified as the common contaminants in milk along the value chain in the study region

Surgical management of breast cancer in BRCA mutation carriers: A single centre experience

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Assessment of the parasitic burden in smallholder pig value chains and implications for public health in Uganda

Pig production has only recently become a popular income-generating activity among smallholder farmers in Uganda; over the past 30 years, pig numbers have increased by a tenfold and pork consumption in East Africa is highest in Uganda. Pigs are not a traditional livestock species to Uganda and little is known about the occurrence of parasitic diseases that reduce growth performance and may have implications for public health. An initial systematic literature review conducted by Ocaido et al. (forthcoming), revealed huge data gaps as most zoonotic pig parasites have never been researched in East Africa. As part of comprehensive smallholder pig value chain assessments carried out by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in three administrative districts of Uganda, the presence and importance of pig parasites along the food chain was investigated. Thirty-five focus group discussions with more than 300 pig farmers showed that parasites are perceived to be a big production constraint with intestinal worms and sarcoptic mange ranking second and third after swine fever (Dione et al., 2014). Knowledge about zoonotic pig parasites is limited and practices such as free-ranging and tethering, erratic treatment and self-medication as well as lack of good hygiene on farm are common. This study presents preliminary findings on parasitic diseases that potentially compromise farm productivity (e.g. gastrointestinal helminths and sarcoptic mange) and public health (e.g. Trypanosoma spp., Trichinella spp. and Toxoplasma gondii). The research was carried out with the financial support of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany, and the CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health, led by the International Food Policy Research Institute, through the Safe Food, Fair Food project at ILRI

Food safety in low income countries

Population growth, urbanization and increasing consumer demand for products of animal origin couldprovide poor smallholder farmers with income and help alleviate poverty. By 2050 there will be anadditional one billion consumers in Africa alone consuming ever more meat, milk and fish.Today, up to 95% of this food is marketed through traditional or ‘informal markets, that largely escaperegulation and where traditional products and processing dominate. Even as incomes steadily rise indeveloping countries, informal markets are predicted to still meet more than half of the consumers’demand for food by 2040. Most of this food is produced locally by smallholder farmers.There are approximately two billion cases of diarrhea per year of which up to 90% are attributed tocontaminated food and water. Foodborne and waterborne diarrhoeal diseases kill an estimated 2.2million people annually, of which the majority are children under five years from Africa and South Asia.Pathogens in perishable foods such as milk, meat, fish, eggs, fruits and vegetables are the major cause offoodborne diseases in developed countries, and probably in developing countries too. At the same timethey are the most nutritious foods and their lack in diets contributes to micro-nutrient deficiency inaround 2 billion people annually.One in eight Canadians, one in six US Americans, one in four Chinese and Britons and one in threeGreeks fall ill each year from foodborne disease. Data is lacking from developing countries where theinfrastructure of health care facilities carrying out differential diagnosis and attribution of diarrhea tosource is poor; foodborne diseases are likely to be underreported and its burden is likely to beunderestimated.Participatory methods from social science have been incorporated to the Codex AlimentariusCommission framework for food safety risk assessment for generating data for exposure assessment andrisk characterization. Group discussions with actors in the food chain help understanding the food chain,including production, harvesting, processing, handling and consumption practices. Many of our studiesfound that hazards in the raw product, especially milk, were eliminated through the common practice ofboiling or thorough cooking in Eastern Africa, while cultural groups that traditionally consume raw milk,especially in West Africa are exposed to higher risks of milk borne diseases such as brucellosis, listeriosisand tuberculosis. Also, an initially safe product is often contaminated post-harvest, i.e. with coliforms,due to poor food handling practices. Participatory methods also help prioritizing interventions based onthe most common and most severe foodborne disease in a given community and incorporate indigenousrisk mitigation strategies such as slaughter-on-demand and fermentation.Emerging food safety risks in developing countries include Aflatoxins, antibiotic residues and resistancein food, or other chemical residues

Selective Earth-Abundant System for CO2 Reduction: Comparing Photo- and Electrocatalytic Processes

The valorization of CO2 via photo- or electrocatalytic reduction constitutes a promising approach toward the sustainable production of fuels or value-added chemicals using intermittent renewable energy sources. For this purpose, molecular catalysts are generally studied independently with respect to the photo- or the electrochemical application, although a unifying approach would be much more effective with respect to the mechanistic understanding and the catalyst optimization. In this context, we present a combined photo- and electrocatalytic study of three Mn diimine catalysts, which demonstrates the synergistic interplay between the two methods. The photochemical part of our study involves the development of a catalytic system containing a heteroleptic Cu photosensitizer and the sacrificial BIH reagent. The system shows exclusive selectivity for CO generation and renders turnover numbers which are among the highest reported thus far within the group of fully earth-abundant photocatalytic systems. The electrochemical part of our investigations complements the mechanistic understanding of the photochemical process and demonstrates that in the present case the sacrificial reagent, the photosensitizer, and the irradiation source can be replaced by the electrode and a weak Brønsted acid. © 2019 American Chemical Society

Determination of risk factors contributing to microbial contamination in milk and identification of presence of selected pathogenic bacteria along dairy value chain in Tanga

Contaminated milk is responsible for up to 90% of all dairy-related diseases of humans. A cross sectional study was carried out in Lushoto and Handeni districts of Tanga region to determine handling practices, bacterial contaminations and selected milk-borne zoonotic pathogens along the dairy value chain. A total of 93 respondents were interviewed and subsequently 184 samples of milk and its product were collected for laboratory analysis of total plate count (TPC), coliform plate count (CPC), and detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Brucella abortus using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results showed 57% of famers milked their cows under unhygienic conditions and plastic containers were used for storage. Although the mean total plate count was exactly within the East African Standards (EAS, 5.3 log10 cfu/ml) the counts ranged between 3.3 log10 to,5.8 log10 where 87% and 93% of milk from farmers and vendors, respectively, were above the acceptable EAS standards. Meanwhile, 100 % of milk samples were above CPC EAS standards. PCR analyses did not detect E.coli O157:H7 in all the tested milk samples while B. abortus was detected in 37 out of 87 samples tested (42.5%). It was concluded that limited veterinary/extension services, unhygienic practices of milking and post-harvest handling along the dairy value chain possibly contributed to microbial contamination of milk. Detection of B. abortus in milk is of public health significancy due to its zoonotic potential. It is recommended that veterinary/extension services should be provided to livestock farmers on proper animal husbandry and control of diseases

Stakeholders’ knowledge, attitude and perceptions on the control of Taenia solium in Kamuli and Hoima districts, Uganda

Objective: Taenia (T.) solium is a zoonotic parasite causing three diseases: - Taeniasis and cysticercosis in humans and porcine cysticercosis in pigs. Although biomedically, the transmission of the parasite can be easily interrupted at six points along the life cycle, the contextual factors that may influence the adoption of these control strategies in Uganda remain unclear. This study assessed the stakeholders’ knowledge, attitudes and perceptions relating to the six control strategies for T. solium infections in Kamuli and Hoima districts, Uganda. Materials and Methods: A total of 22 focus group discussions (FGD) were conducted with pig farmers, community leaders, pig/pork traders, animal health assistants and human health assistants. In addition, nine key informant interviews were held with senior officials in the ministries of agriculture and health, and other relevant agencies at the district level. Results: The results showed differential, limited and fragmented knowledge on T. solium infections among stakeholders. Pig farmers, community leaders and pig/pork traders had almost no knowledge and were often confused regarding the differences existing between T. solium and other gastro-intestinal infections in pigs and humans. Pig confinement, pit latrine construction, coverage, maintenance and sustained use are influenced by cultural, socio-economic, and physical/ environmental factors of study population and area. Conclusion: Proper sensitization programmes and health education interventions should target all, but with material appropriately focused to suit the different stakeholder’s categories. Reminders or nudges may be needed to ensure that increase in knowledge translates to changes in practice. Intervention programmes should also aim to overcome challenges created by the various contextual factors operating in the specific endemic areas

The occurrence of porcine Toxoplasma gondii infections in smallholder production systems in Uganda

Pig production is an emerging agribusiness in Eastern Africa but baseline information on pig diseases including zoonoses is still scarce. Infection with Toxoplasma gondii does not usually present with clinical signs in pigs, yet it is considered an important source of human infection when pork containing tissue cysts is poorly handled or consumed raw or undercooked. In a cross-sectional survey between April and July 2013, we sampled 932 pigs between three months to three years of age in 22 villages at smallholder farms. The sera were tested for the presence of antibodies to T. gondii using a commercial ELISA (PrioCHECK Toxoplasma Ab porcine) and an in-house assay (TgSAG1 p30). The overall seroprevalence based on the commercial ELISA was 28.7% (95% CI: 25.8-31.7%). Seropositive animals were found in all villages with significant differences across the three districts (P<0.05) and 12 sub-counties (P<0.01) in the survey area. Cohen’s kappa statistic showed a very good level of agreement (κ=0.7637) between the two serological assays. Preliminary univariate analysis suggests a significant association between seropositivity and pig age, value chain type, feeding of crop residues, source of drinking water, keeping cats on farm compound, and frequent sightings of wildlife (especially antelopes, hares, wild and stray dogs) near the village. The present report is the first survey documenting the seroprevalence of T. gondii in domestic pigs in the East African Community (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda) and investigating potential risk factors that may need attention when promoting smallholder pig keeping as a livelihood activity in Central and Eastern Uganda. The research was carried out with the financial support of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany, the CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health, led by the International Food Policy Research Institute, through the Safe Food, Fair Food project at ILRI as well as the CGIAR Research Program on Livestock & Fish at ILRI as part of the Smallholder Pig Value Chain Development Project