Browsing by Author "Eblate, E."

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Mycobacterium bovis in rural Tanzania: Risk factors for infection in human and cattle populations
(Tuberculosis, 2006-01-13) Cleaveland, S.; Shawa, D. J.; Mfinangac, S. G.; Shirimad, G.; Kazwalae, R. R.; Eblate, E.; Sharp, M.
Although bovine tuberculosis is widespread throughout Africa, very little is known about risk factors for Mycobacterium bovis infection in either human or cattle populations. A human case–control study was conducted in northern Tanzania, comparing risk factors and prevalence of cattle interdermal test positives of cases (cervical adenitis cases from which M. bovis was isolated) with age- and sexmatched controls (selected at random from potential hospital attendees within the community). A cattle cross-sectional study was also set-up involving 27 villages selected at random in four districts, with 10,549 cattle and 622 herds tested, and questionnaire surveys conducted in 239 households. M. bovis was confirmed in seven of 65 (10.8%) human cervical adenitis cases, of which only one came from a household owning infected cattle. M. bovis in human patients was associated with families in which a confirmed diagnosis of tuberculosis had previously been made (po0:001) and with households far (4100 m) from neighbours (p ¼ 0:003). In cattle, overall prevalence of intradermal test positives was low at 0.9% (0.70–1.06%), but widespread, with 11.8% (8.44–13.17%) herds containing at least one reactor. Prevalence of intradermal test positives increased significantly with cattle age (po0:001). Herds with the following risk factors had a significantly greater prevalence of intradermal test positives: 450 cattle in the herd (p ¼ 0:024); herds housed inside at night (p ¼ 0:021) and herds in contact with wildlife (p ¼ 0:041). Furthermore, villages that experienced annual flooding had a higher prevalence of infection (p ¼ 0:043).
Prevalence of echinococcosis in dogs and wild carnivores in selected Serengeti ecosystem areas of Tanzania
(African Journal Online, 2013-05-15) Eblate, E.; Nonga, H. E.; Cleaveland, S.
A prevalence study on echinococcosis in dogs and wild carnivores was conducted in northen Tanzania. Copro-antigen ELISA was used to screen 442 dog faecal samples from Magu, Bariadi and Ngorongoro districts, together with 88 wild carnivore samples from Serengeti National Park. Overall prevalence of E. granulosus in dogs was 12.4%. Magu (14.6%) and Ngorongoro districts (10.0%) had higher prevalence than Bariadi district (6.3%). The prevalence of echinococcosis in wild carnivores was 13.6%. Species which were positive to Copro-antigen ELISA test included bat eared fox (Otocyon megalotis) (14.3%), cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) (16.1%), spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta) (37.5%) and lion (Panthera leo) (10.0%). The findings uncover that dogs and wild carnivores from northern Tanzania are infected with E. granulosus, a situation which may pose a risk of infection to other hosts including human. Therefore, more epidermiological investigation is needed to understand the dynamics of the disease in human, domestic animals and wildlife.
Tuberculosis in Tanzanian Wildlife
(Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 2005) Cleaveland, S.; Mlengeya, T.; Kazwala, R. R.; Michel, A.; Kaare, M. T.; Jones, S. L.; Eblate, E.; Shirima, G. M.; Packer, C.
Bovine tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium bovis, is a pathogen of growing concern in free-ranging wildlife in Africa, but little is known about the disease in Tanzanian wildlife. Here, we report the infection status of Mycobacterium bovis in a range of wildlife species sampled from protected areas in northern Tanzania. M. bovis was isolated from 11.1% (2/ 18) migratory wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) and 11.1% (1/9) topi (Damaliscus lunatus) sampled systematically in 2000 during a meat cropping program in the Serengeti ecosystem, and from one wildebeest and one lesser kudu (Tragelaphus imberbis) killed by sport hunters adjacent to Tarangire National Park. A tuberculosis antibody enzyme immunoassay (EIA) was used to screen serum samples collected from 184 Serengeti lions (Panthera leo) and 19 lions from Ngorongoro Crater sampled between 1985 and 2000. Samples from 212 ungulates collected throughout the protected area network between 1998 and 2001 also were tested by EIA. Serological assays detected antibodies to M. bovis in 4% of Serengeti lions; one positive lion was sampled in 1984. Antibodies were detected in one of 17 (6%) buffalo (Syncerus caffer) in Tarangire and one of 41 (2%) wildebeest in the Serengeti. This study confirms for the first time the presence of bovine tuberculosis in wildlife of northern Tanzania, but further investigation is required to assess the impact on wildlife populations and the role of different wildlife species in maintenance and transmission.