Determinants of Farmers’ participation in high value crops in Tanzania

This paper is based on a study undertaken to analyze market participation of tomato smallholder famers in three districts of Morogoro region in eastern Tanzania. A multi-stage random sampling procedure was employed to select the sample. Determinants and extent of market participation were estimated using Heckman selection and outcome equations respectively. It was found that characteristics of market participants and non-market participants were not statistically different. The paper recommends that that the government should beef up extension services especially in the aspect of market information to farmers in order to enlighten them on the recommended production techniques, market price and also to improve tomato production. Moreover, rural information centres as well as mobile telephony system should be formed so as to enhance tomato farmers’ regular access to information on market dynamics.Key words: Market participation, smallholders, high value crops, Tanzania

Drug resistance to sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine in Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Mlimba, Tanzania

BACKGROUND: Sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) has been and is currently used for treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in many African countries. Nevertheless, the response of parasites to SP treatment has shown significant variation between individuals. METHODS: The genes for dihydrofolate reductase (dhfr) and dihydropteroate synthase (dhps) were used as markers, to investigate parasite resistance to SP in 141 children aged less than 5 years. Parasite DNA was extracted by Chelex method from blood samples collected and preserved on filter papers. Subsequently, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) were applied to detect the SP resistance-associated point mutations on dhfr and dhps. Commonly reported point mutations at codons 51, 59, 108 and 164 in the dhfr and codons 437, 540 and 581 in the dhps domains were examined. RESULTS: Children infected with parasites harbouring a range of single to quintuple dhfr/dhps mutations were erratically cured with SP. However, the quintuple dhfr/dhps mutant genotypes were mostly associated with treatment failures. High proportion of SP resistance-associated point mutations was detected in this study but the adequate clinical response (89.4%) observed clinically at day 14 of follow up reflects the role of semi-immunity protection and parasite clearance in the population. CONCLUSION: In monitoring drug resistance to SP, concurrent studies on possible confounding factors pertaining to development of resistance in falciparum malaria should be considered. The SP resistance potential detected in this study, cautions on its useful therapeutic life as an interim first-line drug against malaria in Tanzania and other malaria-endemic countries

Leprosy post-exposure prophylaxis with single-dose rifampicin

_Objective:_ Leprosy post-exposure prophylaxis with single-dose rifampicin (SDRPEP) has proven effective and feasible, and is recommended by WHO since 2018. This SDR-PEP toolkit was developed through the experience of the leprosy postexposure prophylaxis (LPEP) programme. It has been designed to facilitate and standardise the implementation of contact tracing and SDR-PEP administration in regions and countries that start the intervention. _Results:_ Four tools were developed, incorporating the current evidence for SDRPEP and the methods and learnings from the LPEP project in eight countries. (1) th

Multiplicity of infections and level of recrudescence in Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Mlimba, Tanzania

African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 5 (18), pp. 1655-1662, 18 September 2006, © 2006 Academic JournalsPolymorphism and antigenic variation are important biological survival strategies of malaria parasites determining the episode, outcome and implications of treatment interventions. In P. falciparum, polymorphic antigens are associated with the asexual blood-stage; merozoite surface protein 2 (MSP2). The MSP2 genes have been invaluable in post-treatment discrimination of parasite resurgence from new infection, especially in high transmission areas. We performed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on DNA extracted from blood samples of 141 malaria-infected infants, followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of PCR products. The findings showed multiplicity of infections of single to six infections with an average of 2.58 infections per patient. Single infections of either 3D7 or FC27 allelic families of the MSP2 gene occurred in 51 patients (50.5%) out of all PCR-RFLP successful samples (n = 101). Out of 15 (10.6%) follow up samples with resurgent parasitaemia, 3 (20%) samples had recrudescent infections while 12 (80%) had variable results. Our findings provide an insight on the prevalence of the genetic determinants of suphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) resistance in Mlimba during the study period, and in the face of rapidly spreading resistance, calls for the periodic surveillance in order to timely detect early warning signal of the deteriorating SP cure rate

Leprosy post-exposure prophylaxis with single-dose rifampicin: toolkit for implementation

lNLR, Amsterdam, NetherlandsmPrivate, UKnHealth Services, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, IndiaoNLR, Jakarta, IndonesiapAnti-Leprosy Campaign, Colombo, Sri LankaqUniversidade do Estado de Mato Grosso, Ca ́ceres, BrazilrNational Tuberculosis and Leprosy Programme, Dar es Salaam,TanzaniasGerman Leprosy and Tuberculosis Relief Association, Wu ̈rzburg,GermanytDirectorate General of Health Services, MoHFW, New Delhi, IndiauNational Leprosy Elimination Program, Phnom Penh, CambodiavGerman Leprosy and Tuberculosis Relief Association,Dar es Salaam, TanzaniawSub Directorate Directly Transmitted Tropical Diseases, MoH,Jakarta, IndonesiaxErasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam,NetherlandsyAmerican Leprosy Missions, Greenville, USAzUniversity of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UKaaFAIRMED, Colombo, Sri LankaabInstituto Lauro de Souza Lima, Bauru, BrazilAccepted for publication 22 July 2019SummaryObjective:Leprosy post-exposure prophylaxis with single-dose rifampicin (SDR-PEP) has proven effective and feasible, and is recommended by WHO since 2018.This SDR-PEP toolkit was developed through the experience of the leprosy post-exposure prophylaxis (LPEP) programme. It has been designed to facilitate andstandardise the implementation of contact tracing and SDR-PEP administration inregions and countries that start the intervention.Results:Four tools were developed, incorporating the current evidence for SDR-PEP and the methods and learnings from the LPEP project in eight countries. (1) theSDR-PEP policy/advocacy PowerPoint slide deck which will help to inform policymakers about the evidence, practicalities and resources needed for SDR-PEP, (2) theSDR-PEP field implementation training PowerPoint slide deck to be used to trainfront line staff to implement contact tracing and PEP with SDR, (3) the SDR-PEPgeneric field guide which can be used as a basis to create a location specific fieldprotocol for contact tracing and SDR-PEP serving as a reference for frontline fieldstaff. Finally, (4) the SDR-PEP toolkit guide, summarising the different componentsof the toolkit and providing instructions on its optimal use.Conclusion:In response to interest expressed by countries to implement contacttracing and leprosy PEP with SDR in the light of the WHO recommendation of SDR-PEP, this evidence-based, concrete yet flexible toolkit has been designed to servenational leprosy programme managers and support them with the practical means toLeprosy post-exposure prophylaxis toolkit357 translate policy into practice. The toolkit is freely accessible on the Infolep homepagesand updated as required: https://www.leprosy-information.org/keytopic/leprosy-post-exposure-prophylaxis-lpep-programm