Browsing by Author "Mdegela, R.H."
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Item Ecological niche modeling as a tool for prediction of the potential geographic distribution of Bacillus anthracis spores in Tanzania(International Society for Infectious Diseases, 2018-11-27) Mwakapeje, E.R.; Ndimuligo, S.A.; Mosomtai, G.; Nyakarahuka, L.; Nonga, H.E.; Mdegela, R.H.; Skjerve, E.; Ayebare, S.Anthrax is caused by the spore-forming, Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus anthracis. The aim of this study was to predict the potential distribution of B. anthracis in Tanzania and produce epidemiological evidence for the management of anthrax outbreaks in the country. Methods: The Maxent algorithm was used to predict areas at risk of anthrax outbreaks based on the occurrence and environmental data in Arusha and Kilimanjaro regions; the model was later transferred to predict the entire country. Seventy percent of the occurrence data were used to train the model, while 30% were used for model evaluation. Results: Four regions of northern Tanzania are predicted to have a high risk for anthrax outbreaks, while the southern and western regions had low-risk areas. Soil type (56.5%), soil pH (23.7%), and isothermally (10.4%) were the most important variables for the model prediction, and the most significant soil types were solonetz, fluvisols, and lithosols. Conclusions: A strong risk level across districts of the Tanzania mainland was identified in this study. A total of 18 districts in Tanzania Mainland are predicted to be at very high risk of an anthrax outbreak occurrence. These findings are important for policymakers to effectively mount targeted control measures for anthrax outbreaks in TanzaniaItem Incentives for low-quality water irrigation of food crops in Morogoro, Tanzania(Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht, 2016-12-19) Samson, S.; Mdegela, R.H.; Permin, A.; Mahonge, C.; Mlangwa, J.This article highlights the link between low-quality water and food crops irrigation. A cross-sectional research was conducted to assess factors motivating farmers to use low-quality water from the waste stabilisation ponds for food crops irrigation in urban and peri-urban areas in Morogoro Urban and Mvomero, in Morogoro Region, Tanzania, from October 2013 to March 2015. Data were collected through farmers’ survey (n = 80), in-depth interviews with key informants (n = 7) and focus group discussions (n = 4). Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used in results presentation. The findings indicated alternative way of earning income during dry seasons, lack of alternative sources of irrigation water, alternative source of employment, the need to produce food, land availability near the low-quality water, plant nutrients in the water and limited awareness of the health problems associated with low-quality water irrigation as incentives for farmers to irrigate food crops using low-quality water. The results further showed that farming using low-quality water has been their livelihood strategy; farmers meet their family needs such as school fees, health and food by using the income generated from the sale of vegetables and paddy. Regardless of all these benefits, the existing use of lowquality water in farming activities is informal. Besides, there are no regulations guiding its use with no declaration to whether the resource is suitable for food crops irrigation. However, banning the practice on the ground of health risks might be devastating to farmers. This practice should therefore be regulated in such a way that low-quality water disposed from the ponds is considered as a potential source of water for food crops irrigation.Item Occurrence of Trypanosoma in Nile tilapia in Lake Victoria, Kenya(2008) Kamundia, P.W.; Mbuthia, P.G.; Waruiru, R. M.; Njagi, L. W.; Nyaga, P. N.; Mdegela, R.H.; Byarugaba, D. K.; Otieno, R. O.Oreochromis niloticus (Nile tilapia) and Lates niloticus (Nile perch) are the most abundant species and economically important fish in Lake Victoria. The former are omnivores and the latter are carnivorous. The carrier status of haemoparasites in fish was investigated in 22 randomly selected fish specimens, 12 Oreochromis niloticus (Nile tilapia) and 10 Lates niloticus (Nile perch). Live fish were bought from Homabay on the shores of Lake Victoria in Kenya. All the fish were bled by cardiac puncture using a 22 gauge needle. Thin blood smears were made, stained with Giemsa and observed under a light microscope. About 42% of Nile tilapia and 0% Nile perch were found to be infected with Trypanosoma spp. Oreochromis niloticus seems to be more susceptible to Trypanosoma spp. infection than the L. niloticus.Item Prenatal exposure to persistent organic pollutants in Northern Tanzania and their distribution between breast milk, maternal blood, placenta and cord blood.(Elsevier, 2019) Müller, M.H.B; Polder, A.; Brynildsrud, O.B.; Grønnestad, R.; Karimi, M.; Lie, E.; Manyilizu, W.B; Mdegela, R.H.; Mokiti, F.; Murtadha, M.; Nonga, H.E.; Skaare, J.U.; Solhaug, A.; Lyche, J.L.Human exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) begins during pregnancy and may cause adverse health effects in the fetus or later in life. The present study aimed to assess prenatal POPs exposure to Tanzanian infants and evaluate the distribution of POPs between breast milk, maternal blood, placenta and cord blood. For assessment of prenatal exposure, 48 maternal blood samples from Mount Meru Regional Referral Hospital (MMRRH), Arusha Tanzania, were analyzed for organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), brominated flame retardants (BFRs), dioxin-like (DL) activity and perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs). For evaluation of POPs distribution between maternal/infant compartments, breast milk, placenta and cord blood corresponding to the maternal blood were analyzed for OCPs, PCBs and BFRs. In maternal blood, p,p ́- DDE was detected in 100% of the samples ranging between 29 and 1890 ng/g lipid weight (lw). PCB-153 was the only PCB detected in maternal blood, with detection rate of 29% and concentrations up to 116 ng/g lw. BDE-47 was detected in 65% of the maternal blood samples, ranging betweenItem Risk factors for human cutaneous anthrax outbreaks in the hot-spot districts of Northern Tanzania: an unmatched case control study(Royal Society Open Science, 2018-09-05) Mwakapeje, E.R.; Nonga, H.E.; Mdegela, R.H.; Skjerve, E.; Høgset, S.; Softic, A.; Mghamba, J.Bacillus anthracis is an aerobic, Gram-positive and sporeforming bacterium, which causes anthrax in herbivores. Humans get infected after coming into contact with infected animals’ products. An unmatched case–control study was conducted to identify the importance of demographic, biological and/or behavioural factors associated with human cutaneous anthrax outbreaks in the hotspot areas of Northern Tanzania. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to both cases and controls. The age range of participants was 1–80 years with a median age of 32 years. In the younger group (1–20 years), the odds of being infected were 25 times higher in the exposed group compared to the unexposed group (OR¼ 25, 95% CI ¼ 1.5–410). By contrast, the odds of exposure in the old group ( 20 years) were three times lower in the exposed group compared to the unexposed group (OR ¼ 3.2, 95% CI ¼ 1.28–8.00). Demographic characteristics, sleeping on animal’s skins, contacting with infected carcasses through skinning and butchering, and not having formal education were linked to exposure for anthrax infection. Hence, a One Health approach is inevitable for the prevention and control of anthrax outbreaks in the hotspot areas of Northern Tanzania.