Concepts of disease in Ethiopia: From macro predator to microorganism

Knowledge and understanding of concepts of disease is important in the delivery of veterinary services and how students learn in veterinary medicine. This study analyzes the conceptual and philosophical basis for epidemiologic advances and changing paradigms in Ethiopia from the historical and modern viewpoint of disease concepts. Our finding shows that, there existed a multiple of concepts of disease, in an interface of science and spirituality namely: predator, evil spirit, religious and biomedical; in chronology. Despite these concepts were diametrically opposing each other, the general public had not reject old concepts, simply all were amalgamated. Hence, Ethiopian farmers seek assistance from sorcery, traditional healers, priests and veterinary doctors. In traditional Ethiopian disease concept, major cause of disease was supposed evil spirit, which originated from metaphysics and cosmological belief. A similar crosscutting of concepts were observed among veterinary students and professionals. We suggest if an antagonistic relationship between science and religion is perceived by student the learning outcome will be superficial and will suppress further scientific progress. While a symbiotic relationship between science and religion will alleviate the apathy

Total polyphenol content of green, roasted and cooked Harar and Yirgacheffee Coffee, Ethiopia

The effect of solvent composition on the total polyphenols content of green, roasted coffee and traditional coffee beverage preparation stages (Abol, Tona and Bereka) were studied by UV-Vis spectroscopy. The maximum extracted polyphenol of 640.3 mg GAE/100 g and 641.9 mg GAE/100 g were obtained at Harar and Yirgacheffee green coffee extracts with at 85% methanol, respectively. The results showed that total phenolic contents of extracts were found to be in the order of green> roasted >cooked (Abol>Tona>Bereka) in both coffee samples. Application of ANOVA revealed that a significant variation (p <0.05) was noted between the green, roasted, Abol, Tona and Breka coffee processing procedures. In general, this study revealed that there was a loss of substantial amount of total polyphenols through the traditional way of coffee brewing, probably ascribed to continuous provision of heating leads to degradation of existing polyphenols and formation of less stable and volatile products.Keywords: Coffee, Green, Roasted, Cooked, Polypheno

Predictors of under-five childhood diarrhea: Mecha District, West Gojam, Ethiopia

Background: Diarrheal disease is widely recognized as a major cause of child morbidity and mortality in developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa including Ethiopia. There exist variations in explanatory variables of diarrhea depending on the context of the study.Objective: To examine the effects of selected environmental, socio-economic and behavioral factors on childhood diarrhea in Mecha District, West Gojjam, Ethiopia.Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was carried out in February 2009. A proportionate stratified random sampling technique was used to select 768 households that had at least one under-five child. Data was collected using a pre-tested structured questionnaire by trained data collectors. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were undertaken to identify predictors of childhood diarrhea.Results: The prevalence of diarrhea among mothers and under-five children was 8.2% and 18.0%, respectively. Maternal education (AOR=5.6, 95% CI: 1.5 - 19.4), maternal history of recent diarrhea (AOR, 5.5; 95% CI, 2.9 - 9.8), availability of latrine facility (AOR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.1-3.4), duration of breast feeding (AOR=2.7, 95% CI: 1.1- 7.3), and age of the child (AOR=2.8; 95% CI: 1.3 - 5.9) had a significant association.Conclusion: From this study, variation in the level of diarrheal morbidity is well explained by maternal factors and presence of latrine facility. Educating mothers focusing on sustained behavioral changes in the use of latrine integrated with personal hygiene is an important intervention for the prevention and control of diarrhea among children. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 2011;25;(3):192-200

Self-Regulatory Behavior of Adolescent Students in Ethiopia –The Case of Ayer Tena High School, Kolfe Keranio Sub City, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Self-regulatory behavior is an important personal skill that strengthens in the course of transition from childhood to adulthood. While self-regulation promotes healthy and successful transitioning to adulthood, deficiency in self-regulation would expose the growing persons to a host of undesirable behaviors including impulsivity, violence, health risky behaviors etc. The aim of this study was to examine adolescents. self-regulatory behavior and how it was associated with parental involvement and such other background factors as age, gender, family structure, and socio-economic status. A total of 211 secondary school adolescent students were selected as data sources. Socio-Economic Status Inventory, Self-Regulation Scale and Parental Involvement Scale were employed for data collection. Findings indicated that the level of self-regulatory behavior was significantly higher among the adolescents. The same pattern was exhibited in all the three dimensions of self-regulation. While sex and parental involvement were found to have significant relationship with self-regulatory behavior, age, socio-economic status, fathers. educational level, and family structure were, however, minimally correlated. Discussing the findings against a backdrop, basically of, socio-cultural reality of the study setting, further research was suggested to unveil this context of self-regulation using mixed research design

First report of soybean witchesbroom disease caused by Group 16SrII phytoplasma in soybean in Malawi and Mozambique

Soybean (Glycine max L.) is an important grain legume cultivated on approximately 1.24 million ha in Africa (1). Malawi ranks fourth in area of production in Africa, with 75,000 ha in 2009 (1). Soybean is also gaining importance in Mozambique and several other southern African countries due to diversification programs. During a field survey conducted in March 2010, soybean plants with phyllody and witches'-broom disorders typical of phytoplasma infection were observed in three of five fields surveyed in Lilongwe (Chitedze Research Station) and Salima (Channa, Chitala) districts in Malawi and three of four fields surveyed in Zambezia Province in Mozambique. Symptoms consisted of shoot proliferation, reduced leaflets, shortened internodes, proliferated auxiliary shoots producing witches'-brooms, virescence, and phyllody. Incidence of symptomatic plants was <1% in Malawi and 10 to 15% in Mozambique. Yield loss was 100% in affected plants. Five leaf samples each from symptomatic and asymptomatic plants were collected from six fields; total genomic DNAs were isolated and used as templates in PCR using phytoplasma-universal primer pair P1 and P7 for 16S-23S ribosomal RNA encoding region (3). PCR amplicons (1,709 bp) were produced from only templates derived from symptomatic plants. Amplicons from a symptomatic plant each from Malawi (Channa, Salima District) and Mozambique (Mutequelse, Zambezia Province) were directly sequenced in both directions and submitted to the GenBank (Accession Nos. HQ840717 and HQ845208). Nucleotide sequences of the two African soybean witches'-broom (SoyWB) phytoplasma strains were 100% identical. The virtual restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) pattern derived from these sequences using iPhyClassifier software (4) was similar to the reference pattern of the 16Sr group II, subgroup C (cactus phytoplasma, Accession No. AJ293216), with a pattern similarity coefficient of 0.99. A BLASTn search revealed that the African SoyWB phytoplasma sequences had a nucleotide sequence identity of 99% with those of soybean phytoplasma from Thailand (Accession No. EF193353), cactus phytoplasma from China (Accession No. EU099561), and several other members of 16SrII group. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the clustering of these strains with members of 16SrII group. In 1984, the occurrence of phyllody and witches'-broom symptoms in soybean in Mozambique was reported (2), however, no comprehensive details on the pathogen are available. To our knowledge, this is the first report of phyllody and witches'-broom disease in soybean in Malawi and the first molecular evidence of association of a 16SrII-C group ‘Candidatus phytoplasma’ with the disease in Malawi and Mozambique. Phyllody and witches'-broom is a destructive disease, and its widespread occurrence can adversely affect soybean production in sub-Saharan Africa. Identification of alternative hosts and vector species would improve our understanding of the disease's epidemiology and contribute to development of appropriate tactics to prevent escalation of this problem into a major disease

Variations between post- and pre-harvest seasons in stunting, wasting, and Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices among children 6-23 months of age in lowland and midland agro-ecological zones of rural Ethiopia

Introduction: Food availability and access are strongly affected by seasonality in Ethiopia. However, there are little data on seasonal variation in Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices and malnutrition among 6-23 months old children in different agro-ecological zones of rural Ethiopia. Methods: Socio-demographic, anthropometry and IYCF indicators were assessed in post- and pre-harvest seasons among children aged 6–23 months of age randomly selected from rural villages of lowland and midland agro-ecological zones. Results: Child stunting and underweight increased from prevalence of 39.8% and 26.9% in post-harvest to 46.0% and 31.8% in pre-harvest seasons, respectively. The biggest increase in prevalence of stunting and underweight between post- and pre-harvest seasons was noted in the midland zone. Wasting decreased from 11.6% post-harvest to 8.5% pre-harvest, with the biggest decline recorded in the lowland zone. Minimum meal frequency, minimum acceptable diet and poor dietary diversity increased considerably in pre-harvest compared to post-harvest season in the lowland zone. Feeding practices and maternal age were predictors of wasting, while women’s dietary diversity and children age was predictor of child dietary diversity in both seasons. Conclusion: There is seasonal variation in malnutrition and IYCF practices among children 6-23 months of age with more pronounced effect in midland agro-ecological zone. A major contributing factor for child malnutrition may be poor feeding practices. Health information strategies focused on both IYCF practices and dietary diversity of mothers could be a sensible approach to reduce the burden of child malnutrition in rural Ethiopia

Understanding the Attitudes of Communities to the Social, Economic, and Cultural Importance of Working Donkeys in Rural, Peri-urban, and Urban Areas of Ethiopia

This is the final version. Available on open access from Frontiers media via the DOI in this recordData Availability Statement: The datasets generated for this study will not be made publicly available as the study participants did not explicitly give their consent for the full interview transcripts to be made publicly available.Working donkeys (Equus africanus asinus) are vital to the development and support of people's livelihoods in rural, peri-urban, and urban areas of Ethiopia. However, despite their critical role in providing transport, food security, and income generation to some of the poorest and most marginalized households, donkey contributions to human livelihoods have been largely unexplored. Donkey users, veterinary surgeons, business owners, and civil servants were interviewed to investigate the role humans play in shaping donkey lives while furthering our understanding of the social and economic impacts of working donkeys to human lives. Findings are discussed through seven guiding themes; donkeys as generators of income, the relationship between donkeys and social status, donkeys and affect, empowerment through donkeys, the role of donkeys in reducing vulnerability and encouraging resilience, donkey husbandry, and gender dynamics all of which gave a broader and richer insight into the value of donkeys. Donkeys are an important support in rural, peri-urban, and urban settings through the creation of economic security, independence, and participation in local saving schemes. In addition, donkeys provide social status, empowerment to marginalized groups such as women and the very poor and provide a sense of companionship. Whether the interviewee was a donkey user or a key informant appeared to influence their views on donkeys and their welfare, as did their location. The variations in views and practices between urban and rural settings suggests that assessing the socioeconomic value of donkeys in different locations within the same area or country is critical, rather than assuming that similar views are held between compatriots. Despite their centrality to many people's lives in Ethiopia, working donkeys often hold lowly status, are misunderstood, and given little husbandry and healthcare.The Donkey Sanctuary