Browsing by Author "Katakweba, A."
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Item Breeding dynamics of rodent species inhabiting farm–fallow mosaic fields in Central Tanzania(2012-04) Massawe, A. W.; Makundi, R. H.; Mulungu, L. S.; Katakweba, A.; Shayo, T. N.The breeding dynamics of three species of rodents, Mastomys natalensis, Aethomys chrysophilus and Gerbilliscus vicina were investigated in a seasonal environment (wet versus dry) in Berega in the eastern parts of central Tanzania. Berega has a distinct unimodal rainfall pattern, with most rainfall from November to April/May. We hypothesized that breeding of rodents in central Tanzania would be confined to the wet season, when unlimited resources would be available for reproduction. We provide evidence of breeding discontinuity in the three species, showing that breeding was seasonally restricted to the wet season and early in the dry season. The observed discontinuity could largely be ascribed to variation in primary productivity between the wet and dry seasons. Reproductively active females were found in the population as early as November, a month into the rainy season, but when early rains occurred, some individuals were already breeding in October. Breeding was more intensive in the latter part of the wet season (March–May) and completely ceased during the dry season. For M. natalensis, survival was highest in the wet period and low in the dry season. The study provides knowledge on the breeding dynamics of rodents in central Tanzania, which can help farmers to take proactive rodent management decisions to prevent high rodent densities and reduce crop damage in the fields. Application of control measures by the community early in the season when populations of reproductive females is lowest will be most rewarding.Item Localization profile of cathepsin L in the brain of African giant rat (Cricestomys gambianus)(2016) Luziga, C.; Nga, B. T. T.; Kashoma, I.; Katakweba, A.; Yoshimi, Y.Cathepsins, are members of the papain superfamily of mammalian lysosomal cysteine proteases. Among others there are two prominent members with broad substrate specificity, these are cathepsin B and cathepsin L that are known to be involved in the process of intra- and extra-cellular protein degradation and turnover. However, the in vivo targets of cathepsin L in nervous tissues are yet to be identified. We examined by immunofluorescence studies the distribution pattern of cathepsin L protein and determine the specific cell types synthesizing the enzyme in the brain of African giant rats (Cricetomys gambianus). Results showed that Cathepsin L protein was localized in various brain regions of the giant rats. In the telencephalon, immunoreactivity was identified in cerebral cortex and subcortical structures, hippocampus, amygdala and basal ganglia. Within the diencephalon high density of positive signals was observed in mediodorsal and lateral posterior thalamic nuclei and medial habenular nucleus. In the mesencephalon, cathepsin L was detected in the substantia nigra and cerebral peduncles. Strong labeling in the hypothalamus was present in the anterior commissure and median eminence while in the cerebellum cathepsin L was observed in the deep white matter, granule cell layer, stellate, and basket cells of cerebellar cortex and in the Purkinje neurons. The distribution pattern and functional implications of cathespin L in relation to spatial memory establishment, learning coordination and disease mechanisms is discussed.Item Pcr detection of Leptospira DNA in rodents and insecti- vores from Tanzania(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2005-12) Mgode, G.F.; Mhamphi, G.; Katakweba, A.; Paemelaere, E.; Willekens, N.; Leirs, H.; Machang, R.S.; Hartskeerl, R.A.The true prevalence of leptospirosis in Tanzania is unknown or underestimated. In this study we report on the prevalence of leptospirosis in Morogoro, Tanzania, by PCR detection of leptospiral DNA in 27 kid- neys of rodents (Mastomys spp, Rattus spp, and Mus spp) and insectivores (Crocidura spp). The PCR study comple- mented previous attempts to isolate the leptospires and to perform seroprevalence by the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Results of this study indicated an overall detection rate of 11 % by PCR, 7.4% by isolation and 0% by the MAT. Based on our analysis, it is recommended to use PCR and isolation for the detection of leptospires in potential host animals.Item Preliminary investigation on rodent–ectoparasite associations in the highlands of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia: implications for potential zoonoses(Integrative Zoology, 2011) Yonas, M.; Welegerima, K.; Laudisoit, A.; Bauer, H.; Gebrehiwot, K.; Deckers, S.; Katakweba, A.; Makundi, R.; Leirs, H.We studied associations between rodents and their arthropod ectoparasites in crop fields and household compounds in the highlands of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Ectoparasite infestation indices, such as percent infestation, mean abundance, prevalence and host preferences, were calculated for each taxon. In total, 172 rodents from crop fields and 97 from household compounds were trapped. Rodent species and numbers trapped from the crop fields and household compounds were Mastomys awashensis (Lavrenchenko, Likhnova & Baskevich, 1998) (88 and 44), Arvicanthis dembeensis (Ruppel, 1842) (63 and 37) and Acomys sp. (21 and 16), respectively. A total of 558 insects and acarids (belonging to 11 taxa) were recovered from the rodents trapped in the crop fields, and 296 insects and acarid (belonging to 6 taxa) from the rodents trapped in the household compounds. Approximately 66% of the rodents trapped from the crop fields and 47% of those trapped from the household compounds were infested with ectoparasites. Laelaps sp. (64.9%) and Xenopsylla sp. (20.6%) comprised the highest proportion of the ectoparasites recovered in the crop fields, and the same ectoparasites, but in reverse order, comprised the highest proportions in the household compounds (Xenopsylla [50.3%] and Laelaps sp. [29%]). Our study revealed that crop fields and household compounds in the highlands share similar rodents and several ectoparasites. Furthermore, at least 1 of the rodent species and some of the ectoparasites identified in this study were reported to have posed medical and veterinary threats in other parts of Ethiopia and neighboring countries.Item Preliminary investigation on rodent–ectoparasite associations in the highlands of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia: implications for potential zoonoses(Integrative Zoology, 2011) Yonas, M.; Welegerima, K.; Laudisoit, A.; Bauer, H.; Gebrehiwot, K.; Deckers, S.; Katakweba, A.; Makundi, R.; Leirs, H.We studied associations between rodents and their arthropod ectoparasites in crop fields and household compounds in the highlands of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Ectoparasite infestation indices, such as percent infestation, mean abundance, prevalence and host preferences, were calculated for each taxon. In total, 172 rodents from crop fields and 97 from household compounds were trapped. Rodent species and numbers trapped from the crop fields and household compounds were Mastomys awashensis (Lavrenchenko, Likhnova & Baskevich, 1998) (88 and 44), Arvicanthis dembeensis (Ruppel, 1842) (63 and 37) and Acomys sp. (21 and 16), respectively. A total of 558 insects and acarids (belonging to 11 taxa) were recovered from the rodents trapped in the crop fields, and 296 insects and acarid (belonging to 6 taxa) from the rodents trapped in the household compounds. Approximately 66% of the rodents trapped from the crop fields and 47% of those trapped from the household compounds were infested with ectoparasites. Laelaps sp. (64.9%) and Xenopsylla sp. (20.6%) comprised the highest proportion of the ectoparasites recovered in the crop fields, and the same ectoparasites, but in reverse order, comprised the highest proportions in the household compounds (Xenopsylla [50.3%] and Laelaps sp. [29%]). Our study revealed that crop fields and household compounds in the highlands share similar rodents and several ectoparasites. Furthermore, at least 1 of the rodent species and some of the ectoparasites identified in this study were reported to have posed medical and veterinary threats in other parts of Ethiopia and neighboring countries.Item The prevalence of Mycobacterium bovis-infection and atypical mycobacterioses in cattle in and around Morogoro, Tanzania(Springer Science + Business Media B.V., 2009) Durnez, L.; Sadiki, H.; Katakweba, A.; Machang’u, R. R.; Kazwala, R. R.; Leirs, H.; Portaels, F.A study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Mycobacterium bovis-infection and atypical mycobacterioses in different cattle herd management systems in and around Morogoro, Tanzania. Between April and June 2005, a total of 728 bovines from 49 herds were tested for M. bovisinfection and atypical mycobacterioses. Milk samples were taken from tuberculin positive animals and analysed for the presence of mycobacteria. Total prevalences of 2.5% and 10.1% were found for M. bovisinfection and atypical mycobacterioses respectively, with more M. bovis-infection in cattle in the extensive management system and more atypical mycobacterioses in cattle in the intensive management system. From 8 out of 42 milk samples (19%) atypical mycobacteria were cultured. A higher prevalence of M. bovisinfection in the extensive sector could be due to several factors. In addition, such high prevalence puts herd owners and their families at risk for BTB. Therefore control of BTB, as well as education of cattle owners is important, especially in the extensive sector.