Smallholder goat production in the Namaacha and Moamba districts of southern Mozambique

Goat rearing is one of the most common livestock farming activities in Mozambique and has the potential to play a powerful role in improving the livelihoods of resource-poor farmers. This study was conducted to investigate the status of goat husbandry practices in rural areas of southern Mozambique. Data were collected from a total of 45 smallholder goat keepers in three different villages through questionnaires complemented by interviews. Most households were dependent on crop production and livestock as their main source of income. Goats were reared under extensive systems where free grazing and tethering were the common feeding management practices with limited supplementation during the dry season. The flock sizes per household were predominantly small (13 ± 2.4) with uncontrolled breeding of goats. The goats were reared mainly as a source of meat for home consumption and a means of reserve cash income. All household members were involved in goat production but women and children had a minor role in terms of decision making. The main constrains limiting goat production were diseases, lack of veterinary services, limited size of grazing land and scarcity of feed resources. Intervention programs focused on improving the husbandry practices and veterinary assistance should be initiated to improve goat production and thereby improve the income and livelihood of the resource-poor farmers in Mozambique. This paper presents a summary of the results of a baseline study in the Namaacha and Moamba districts of Mozambique.http://www.jarts.infoAnimal and Wildlife Science

Use of Oxfendazole to Control Porcine Cysticercosis in a High-Endemic Area of Mozambique

A randomized controlled field trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a single oral dose of 30 mg/kg of oxfendazole (OFZ) treatment for control of porcine cysticercosis was conducted in 4 rural villages of Angónia district, north-western Mozambique. Two hundred and sixteen piglets aged 4 months were selected and assigned randomly to OFZ treatment or control groups. Fifty-four piglets were treated at 4 months of age (T1), while another 54 piglets were treated at 9 months of age (T2) and these were matched with 108 control pigs from the same litters and raised under the same conditions. Baseline data were collected on the prevalence of porcine cysticercosis using antigen ELISA (Ag-ELISA), as well as knowledge and practices related to Taenia solium transmission based on questionnaire interviews and observations. All animals were followed and re-tested for porcine cysticercosis by Ag-ELISA at 9 and 12 months of age when the study was terminated. Overall prevalence at baseline was 5.1% with no significant difference between groups. At the end of the study, 66.7% of the controls were found positive, whereas 21.4% of the T1 and 9.1% of the T2 pigs were positive, respectively. Incidence rates of porcine cysticercosis were lower in treated pigs as compared to controls. Necropsy of 30 randomly selected animals revealed that viable cysts were present in none (0/8) of T2 pigs, 12.5% (1/8) of T1 pigs and 42.8% (6/14) of control pigs. There was a significant reduction in the risk of T. solium cysticercosis if pigs were treated with OFZ either at 4 months (OR = 0.14; 95% CI: 0.05–0.36) or at 9 months of age (OR = 0.05; 95% CI: 0.02–0.16). Strategic treatment of pigs in endemic areas should be further explored as a means to control T. solium cysticercosis/taeniosis

Factors Associated with the Prevalence of Circulating Antigens to Porcine Cysticercosis in Three Villages of Burkina Faso

Taenia solium cysticercosis is a neglected tropical infection transmitted between humans and pigs. This infection is particularly common in areas where sanitation, hygiene and pig management practices are poor, and can sometimes lead to epilepsy in humans. There is very little information about the importance of this infection in Burkina Faso, even though pork meat is widely consumed in many villages. We conducted a pilot study in three villages: two villages where pig rearing and pork consumption are common (Batondo and Pabré) but with different pig management practices, and one village with limited pig farming and pork consumption (Nyonyogo). Blood tests were done on pigs and information on pig raising was collected from farmers. Our study demonstrated that at least one third of pigs are infected with cysticercosis in villages where they are raised, and, particularly when pigs are left to roam some or all of the time. It also demonstrated that farmers may not be aware of this disease until one of their animals is found to be infected. Thus, the study concluded that there is an urgent need for improving education in order to control this tropical disease

Risk Factors of Porcine Cysticercosis in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

There is a high prevalence of Taenia solium taeniosis/cysticercosis in humans and pigs in the Eastern Cape Province (ECP) of South Africa. The objective of this study was to identify risk factors of porcine cysticercosis in select districts of the ECP. Data were collected in 2003 by interviewing 217 pig producers from the area. Blood samples were collected from 261 of their pigs, which were tested using two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for the presence of antibodies to cysticercosis. Frequencies of both owner- and pig-level characteristics were determined. For pig-level analysis, all bivariable and multivariable associations were determined using the surveylogistic procedure of the SAS/STAT® software to accommodate for the intraclass correlation that exists for clusters of pigs within one owner and for clusters of owners within a district. All tests for significance were performed at the α = 0.05 level, and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were determined. Among the respondents, 48% of their households lacked a latrine, 98% slaughtered pigs at home, and 99% indicated that meat inspection services were not available. On bivariable analysis, there was a significant association between porcine infection and district (p = 0.003), breed (p = 0.041) and the absence of a latrine (p = 0.006). On multivariable analysis, the absence of a latrine was the only variable significantly associated with porcine infection (aOR = 1.89; 95% CI = 1.07, 3.35) (p = 0.028). The increased odds of porcine infection with households lacking a latrine contributes to our understanding of the transmission of this parasite in the ECP. Determining and addressing the risk factors for T. solium infection can potentially lower the very high prevalence in humans and pigs in this endemic area

Taenia solium porcine cysticercosis in Madagascar: Comparison of immuno-diagnostic techniques and estimation of the prevalence in pork carcasses traded in Antananarivo city

Taenia solium cysticercosis was reported in official veterinary and medical statistics to be highly prevalent in pigs and humans in Madagascar, but few estimates are available for pigs. This study aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of porcine cysticercosis among pigs slaughtered in Antananarivo abattoirs. Firstly, the diagnostic performance of two antigen-ELISA techniques (B158B60 Ag-ELISA and HP10 Ag-ELISA) and an immunoblotting method were compared with meat inspection procedures on a sample of pigs suspected to be infected with (group 1; n = 250) or free of (group 2; n = 250) T. solium based on direct veterinary inspection in Madagascar. Sensitivity and specificity of the antigen ELISAs were then estimated using a Bayesian approach for detection of porcine cysticercosis in the absence of a gold standard. Then, a third set of pig sera (group 3, n = 250) was randomly collected in Antananarivo slaughterhouses and tested to estimate the overall prevalence of T. solium contamination in pork meat traded in Antananarivo. The antigen ELISAs showed a high sensitivity (>84%), but the B158B60 Ag-ELISA appeared to be more specific than the HP10 Ag-ELISA (model 1: 95% vs 74%; model 2: 87% vs 71%). The overall prevalence of porcine cysticercosis in Antananarivo slaughterhouses was estimated at 2.3% (95% credibility interval [95%CrI]: 0.09–9.1%) to 2.6% (95%CrI: 0.1–10.3%) depending on the model and priors used. Since the sample used in this study is not representative of the national pig population, village-based surveys and longitudinal monitoring at slaughter are needed to better estimate the overall prevalence, geographical patterns and main risk factors for T. solium contamination, in order to improve control policies. (Résumé d'auteur

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Porcine Cysticercosis in Angónia District, Mozambique

Taenia solium is an important zoonosis in many developing countries. Cysticercosis poses a serious public health risk and incurs sizeable economic losses to pig production. Because data on the epidemiology of porcine cysticercosis in Mozambique are scarce, the present study was conducted to determine the prevalence and risk factors for porcine cysticercosis. A cross-sectional survey was carried out in 11 villages in Angónia district, Tete province in northwestern Mozambique. Between September and November, 2007, a total of 661 pigs were tested serologically and examined by tongue inspection. Serum samples were tested for the presence of circulating parasite antigen using a monoclonal antibody-based sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Ag-ELISA). In addition, a questionnaire survey to collect information on pig production, occurrence and transmission of porcine cysticercosis, risk factors and awareness of porcine cysticercosis was conducted in the selected households from which pigs were sampled. Two hundred thirty-one samples (34.9%) were found positive by the Ag-ELISA, while by tongue inspection on the same animals cysticerci were detected in 84 pigs (12.7%). Increasing age (OR = 1.63; 95% CI = 1.13–2.37) and free-range pig husbandry system (OR = 3.81; 95% CI = 2.08–7.06) were important risk factors for porcine cysticercosis in the district. The present findings indicate that porcine cysticercosis is endemic in the region, and that increasing pig age and pig husbandry practices contribute significantly to porcine cysticercosis transmission. Further epidemiological studies on the prevalence and transmission of porcine cysticercosis in rural communities in Mozambique are needed to enable collection of more baseline data and implementation of effective control strategies within the country

Taenia solium Infections in a Rural Area of Eastern Zambia-A Community Based Study

Taenia solium taeniosis/cysticercosis is a zoonotic infection endemic in many developing countries, with humans as the definitive host (taeniosis) and pigs and humans as the intermediate hosts (cysticercosis). When humans act as the intermediate host, the result can be neurocysticercosis, which is associated with acquired epilepsy, considerable morbidity and even mortality. In Africa, most studies have been carried out in pigs with little or no data in humans available. In this human study, conducted in a rural community in Eastern Zambia, prevalences for taeniosis and cysticercosis were determined at 6.3% and 5.8% respectively, indicating the hyperendemicity of the area. Cysticercosis infection was strongly related with age, with a significant increase in prevalence occurring in individuals from the age of 30 onward. A collected tapeworm was confirmed to be T. solium. Risk factors associated with the transmission and maintenance of the parasite such as free roaming pigs, households without latrines, backyard slaughter of pigs without inspection and consumption of undercooked pork were also present. The findings of this work have identified the need for further research in the transmission dynamics and the burden that this infection has on the resources of poor local people

O contributo do Excel no estudo da estatística em ambientes virtuais de aprendizagem

In the new era of information and communication technologies, everyday it appears high technical tools which are strongly used in various branches, by society in general and particularly in educational environments, where distance education does not stay aside of this development. In this context, the present paper makes an approach on the contribution of Excel in the study of statistics in learning virtual environment, which are largely used by many institutions in several countries of the world, in their distance education systems. More precisely, I am trying to verify up to which extent the use of Excel sheet facilitates mathematical written communication in a Web based environment. Araya (2007) considers Excel a package able to help the teaching-learning process of statistics. The research was carried out in a case study strategy, with a pilot study and the main study. The data collection was based on techniques of inquiry, documentary analysis, direct and participant observation with a view to methodical triangulation. For the analysis of data we opted for an essentially qualitative method, although we benefit from quantitative data whenever necessary. The results show that the use of Excel facilitates the grouping of a large number of data, makes its synthesis easier and determinates its statistics, saves time of doing calculations, facilitates the construction of tables and graphics of different types, among other functions.Na nova era das tecnologias de informação e comunicação, a cada dia aparecem ferramentas tecnológicas de ponta que são fortemente utilizadas em vários âmbitos pela sociedade em geral, muito em particular em ambientes educacionais e a educação a distância não fica alheia a este desenvolvimento. Neste contexto, o presente artigo faz uma abordagem sobre o contributo do Excel no estudo da estatística em ambientes virtuais de aprendizagem que são largamente utilizados por muitas instituições nos sistemas de educação a distância em muitos países do mundo. Mais concretamente pretendemos verificar em que medida a utilização de uma folha de cálculo do Excel facilita a comunicação escrita matemática em ambientes baseados na web. De referir que Araya (2007) considera que o Excel é um pacote capaz de ajudar no ensino e aprendizagem da estatística. A pesquisa foi realizada numa estratégia de estudo de caso, com um estudo piloto e o estudo principal. A recolha de dados foi com base em técnicas da inquirição, na análise documental e na observação directa e participante com vista à triangulação metódica. Para a análise de dados optamos por um estudo essencialmente qualitativo, embora beneficiamo-nos de dados quantitativos sempre que necessário. Os resultados mostraram que a utilização do Excel facilita o agrupamento de números volumosos, viabiliza a sua síntese e determinação de medidas estatísticas, economiza o tempo de execução de cálculos, para além de facilitar a construção de tabelas e gráficos de vários tipos, entre outras actividades

Assessment of coal mine water in Moatize by static and leaching tests

Acid mine drainage (AMD) is one of the most serious environmental problems in mining worldwide. One of the largest unexploited coal basins in the world is located in Moatize. It contains about 23 billion metric tonnes of coal. The coal mining there is done in riparian sections of the Zambezi River basin, making it particularly vulnerable to pollution. Much of the coal waste is produced by a number of multinational mining companies operating in the area. Accordingly, it was of clear interest to investigate the possibility that AMD was being generated there. Coal waste and pit water were collected randomly from different piles and pits in two mines in Moatize. Both static and kinetic tests were performed. It was found that AMD could be generated in one of the two mines that were studied. The mine drainage obtained from both coal mines was found to be of neutral pH and to have a high content of sulfates, calcium, magnesium, and manganese