Browsing by Author "Kock, Richard"
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Item Exploring local knowledge and perceptions on zoonoses among pastoralists in northern and eastern Tanzania(PLOS, 2017-02) Mangesho, Peter Ernest; Neselle, Moses Ole; Karimuribo, Esron D; Mlangwa, James E; Queenan, Kevin; Mboera, Leonard E. G; Rushton, Jonathan; Kock, Richard; Häsler, Barbara; Kiwara, Angwara; Rweyemamu, MarkZoonoses account for the most commonly reported emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, there is limited knowledge on how pastoral com- munities perceive zoonoses in relation to their livelihoods, culture and their wider ecology. This study was carried out to explore local knowledge and perceptions on zoonoses among pastoralists in Tanzania.Item Practice of one health approaches: bridges and barriers in Tanzania(AOSIS, 2014) Kayunze, Kim A.; Kiwara, Angwara; Lyamuya, Eligius; Kambarage, Dominic M.; Rushton, Jonathan; Coker, Richard; Kock, RichardThe practice of One Health approaches in human and animal health programmes is influenced by type and scope of bridges for and barriers to partnerships. It was thus essential to evaluate the nature and scope of collaborative arrangements among human, animal and wildlife health experts in dealing with health challenges which demand intersectoral partnership. The nature of collaborative arrangement was assessed, and the respective bridges and barriers over a period of 12 months (July 2011 – June 2012) were identified. The specific objectives were to: (1) determine the proportions of health experts who had collaborated with other experts of disciplines different from theirs, (2) rank the general bridges for and barriers to collaboration according to the views of the health experts, and (3) find the actual bridges for and barriers to collaboration among the health experts interviewed. It was found that 27.0% of animal health officers interviewed had collaborated with medical officers while 12.4% of medical officers interviewed had collaborated with animal health experts. Only 6.7% of the wildlife officers had collaborated with animal health experts. The main bridges for collaboration were instruction by upper level leaders, zoonotic diseases of serious impact and availability of funding. The main barriers to collaboration were lack of knowledge about animal or human health issues, lack of networks for collaboration and lack of plans to collaborate. This situation calls for the need to curb barriers in order to enhance intersectoral collaboration for more effective management of risks attributable to infectious diseases of humans and animals.Item Seroprevalence and associated risk factors of chikungunya, dengue, and zika in eight districts in Tanzania(Elsevier Ltd, 2021) Mwanyika, Gaspary O.; Sindato, Calvin; Rugarabamu, Sima; Rumisha, Susan F.; Karimuribo, Esron D.; Misinzo, Gerald; Rweyemamu, Mark M.; Hamid, Muzamil M. Abdel; Haider, Najmul; Vairo, Francesco; Kock, Richard; Mboera, Leonard E.G.Background: This study was conducted to determine the seroprevalence and risk factors of chikungunya (CHIKV), dengue (DENV), and Zika (ZIKV) viruses in Tanzania. Methods: The study covered the districts of Buhigwe, Kalambo, Kilindi, Kinondoni, Kondoa, Kyela, Mvomero, and Ukerewe in Tanzania. Blood samples were collected from individuals recruited from house- holds and healthcare facilities. An ELISA was used to screen for immunoglobulin G antibodies against CHIKV, DENV, and ZIKV. Results: A total of 1818 participants (median age 34 years) were recruited. The overall CHIKV, DENV, and ZIKV seroprevalence rates were 28.0%, 16.1%, and 6.8%, respectively. CHIKV prevalence was highest in Buhigwe (46.8%), DENV in Kinondoni (43.8%), and ZIKV in Ukerewe (10.6%) and Mvomero (10.6%). Increas- ing age and frequent mosquito bites were significantly associated with CHIKV and DENV seropositivity ( P < 0.05). Having piped water or the presence of stagnant water around the home ( P < 0.01) were as- sociated with higher odds of DENV seropositivity. Fever was significantly associated with increased odds of CHIKV seropositivity ( P < 0.001). Visiting mines had higher odds of ZIKV seropositivity ( P < 0.05). Conclusions: These findings indicate that DENV, CHIKV, and ZIKV are circulating in diverse ecological zones of Tanzania. There is a need to strengthen the control of mosquito-borne viral diseases in Tanzania.Item A socio-economic approach to one health policy research in Southern Africa(2012-06) Lyamuya, Eligius; Rushton, Jonathan; Coker, Richard; Kock, Richard; Kayunze, Kim A.; Kiwara, Angwara D.; Kambarage, Dominic M.; Coker, Richard; Rweyemamu, Mark M.One-health approaches have started being applied to health systems in some countries in controlling infectious diseases in order to reduce the burden of disease in humans, livestock and wild animals collaboratively. However, one wonders whether the problem of lingering and emerging zoonoses is more affected by health policies, low application of one-health approaches, or other factors. As part of efforts to answer this question, the Southern African Centre for Infectious Disease Surveillance (SACIDS) smart partnership of human health, animal health and socio-economic experts published, in April 2011, a conceptual framework to support One Health research for policy on emerging zoonoses. The main objective of this paper was to identify which factors really affect the burden of disease and how the burden could affect socio-economic well-being. Amongst other issues, the review of literature shows that the occurrence of infectious diseases in humans and animals is driven by many factors, the most important ones being the causative agents (viruses, bacteria, parasites, etc.) and the mediator conditions (social, cultural, economic or climatic) which facilitate the infection to occur and hold. Literature also shows that in many countries there is little collaboration between medical and veterinary services despite the shared underlying science and the increasing infectious disease threat. In view of these findings, a research to inform health policy must walk on two legs: a natural sciences leg and a social sciences oneItem Utilisation of one health approaches in the surveillance and mitigation of risks of animal derived infections in Tanzania: attitudinal profiles of human and animal health experts(Greener Journal of Medical Sciences, 2013) Kayunze, Kim A; Kiwara, Angwara D; Lyamuya, Eligius; Kambarage, Dominic M; Rushton, Jonathan; Coker, Richard; Kock, RichardEffective detection, identification, monitoring and control of zoonoses and other animal-derived infections call for embracement of multi- and trans-disciplinary partnership as a means towards optimising the health of humans, animals and their ecosystems. This study was thus aimed at evaluating attitudinal profiles of human, animal and wildlife health experts in Ngorongoro (Manyara Region) and Kibaha (Coastal Region) Districts to this partnered arrangement in dealing with infectious diseases of humans and animals. This was carried out using a structured questionnaire which comprised a 100-point Likert scale on which <60, 60 and 60< points represented unfavourable, neutral and favourable attitudes respectively. The questionnaire was administered to 91 medical, veterinary and wildlife experts in July and August 2012. It was found that, overall, the respondents had positive attitude (64.8%) towards inter-sectoral collaboration. The proportions of the respondents with unfavourable, neutral and favourable attitudes were 22.0%, 8.8% and 69.2%, respectively. The scores by the three categories of experts showed no significant difference (F = 1.428, p = 0.248). This indicates that human and animal health experts value the use of one health approaches in dealing with zoonoses and other animal-derived infections.