Browsing by Author "Mafie, Eliakunda"

Now showing 1 - 10 of 10

African animal trypanosomiasis: a systematic review on prevalence, risk factors and drug resistance in Sub-Saharan Africa
(Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America, 2022) Okello, Ivy; Mafie, Eliakunda; Eastwood, Gillian; Nzalawahe, Jahashi; Mboera, Leonard E. G.
African animal trypanosomiasis (AAT) a parasitic disease of livestock in sub-Saharan Africa causing tremen- dous loses. Sub-Saharan continental estimation of mean prevalence in both large and small domestic animals, risk factors, tsetse and non-tsetse prevalence and drug resistance is lacking. A review and meta-analysis was done to better comprehend changes in AAT prevalence and drug resistance. Publish/Perish software was used to search and extract peer-reviewed articles in Google scholar, PubMed and CrossRef. In addition, ResearchGate and African Journals Online (AJOL) were used. Screening and selection of articles from 2000–2021 was per- formed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Articles 304 were retrieved; on domestic animals 192, tsetse and non-tsetse vectors 44, risk factors 49 and trypanocidal drug resistance 30. Prevalence varied by, host animals in different countries, diagnostic methods and species of Trypanosoma. Cattle had the highest prevalence with Ethiopia and Nigeria leading, T. congolense (11.80– 13.40%) and T. vivax (10.50–18.80%) being detected most. This was followed by camels and pigs. Common di- agnostic method used was buffy coat microscopy. However; polymerase chain reaction (PCR), CATT and ELISA had higher detection rates. G. pallidipes caused most infections in Eastern regions while G. palpalis followed by G. mortisans in Western Africa. Eastern Africa reported more non-tsetse biting flies with Stomoxys leading. Common risk factors were, body conditions, breed type, age, sex and seasons. Ethiopia and Nigeria had the highest trypanocidal resistance 30.00–35.00% and highest AAT prevalence. Isometamidium and diminazene showed more resistance with T. congolense being most resistant species 11.00–83.00%.
Brief review on atypical human trypanosomiasis of trypanosoma lewisi
(2016) Mafie, Eliakunda; Rupa, Fatema Hashem; Setsuda, Aogu; Saito-Ito, Atsuko; Sato, Hiroshi
Trypanosomes (Kinetoplastea: Trypanosomatida: Trypanosomatidae), particularly salivarian trypanosome species as well as stercorarian Trypanosoma cruzi, are important parasites of humans and other animals that cause often fatal diseases. Stercorarian T. lewisi is known as a rat-specific species of the subgenus Herpetosoma. Rodent trypanosomes cause latent infections, and T. lewisi infection beyond the genus border, e.g. infection in mice, is considered to be virtually impossible. Nevertheless, nine human cases of T. lewisi infection have been reported in recent decades, with an increased incidence (five cases) in the last two decades. In the present review, we summarize the records of atypical human trypanosomiasis ascribed to T. lewisi infection and provide information on the background of disease incidences and possible PCR-based diagnostic approaches.
Determination of bacterial load and antibiotic Susceptibility testing of bacteria isolated from students’ toilets At Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania
(Journal of Health, Medicine and Nursing, 2014) Chengula, Augustino; Lushino, Asha; Mzula, Alexanda; Mafie, Eliakunda; Mwega, Elisa; Makundi, Isaac; Peter, Emma
The circulation of infectious diseases in the community settings in urban and rural areas remains to be a hectic problem. One of the sources of microbial diseases is toilets. This study aimed at isolating, identifying and establishing bacterial loads associated with public restrooms in students’ hostels at Sokoine University of Agriculture in Morogoro, Tanzania. Samples were collected from a total of thirty toilets (60 samples) in different surfaces; (i) surfaces associated with toilets (toilet seats and toilet bowls), (ii) surfaces routinely touched with hands (door handles in and out of the restrooms, faucet handles and toilet flush handles) and (iii) the restroom floors. Samples were inoculated in MacConkey and Blood agar and then incubated at 37 o C for 24 hours. All isolates were sub cultured and identified based on macro- and micro-morphology and Standard Biochemical Tests. The establishment of total bacteria load was done using Standard Plate Count Method. The sensitivity testing of the isolates were carried out using the Disk Diffusion Method on nutrient agar plate. The following bacteria genera and species were isolated from the students’ toilets; Staphylococcus aureus (25.0%), Escherichia coli (36.7%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (13.3%), Streptococcus pyogenes (6.7%), Proteus mirabilis (6.7%) and Klebsiella pneumonia (11.6%). The results from total bacterial count indicated that the surfaces routinely touched with hands had highest bacteria load compared to restroom floor and toilet seats. However, the differences of means among the surfaces were not statistically significant (P= 0.6762). Sensitivity testing of the isolates against commonly used antibiotics in the study area showed that all bacterial isolates tested were resistant and intermediate resistant to at least one antibiotic.
Endoparasites of Vietnamese lizards recorded in the last 50 years (1966−2015)
(2016) Thi Tran, Binh; Nguyen, Son Truong; Nguyen, Tao Thien; Van Luc, Pham; Mafie, Eliakunda; Rupa, Fatema Hashem; Sato, Hiroshi
At present, there is a limited knowledge of amphibian and reptile parasites in Vietnam. To date, 45 species of endoparasite in Vietnamese lizards have been recorded. These species consist of 11 cestode, 12 trematode, 18 nematode, one acanthocephalan and three pentastomid species from 10 host species. As Vietnam is one of the global hot spots for herpetofauna diversity (a recent report documented 385 reptiles and 181 amphibians in the country), it appears that only a fraction of the parasites of lizards in this richly biodiverse territory has been recorded. To facilitate the accurate taxonomical identification of parasites and clarify the taxonomic relationship of parasites from Vietnamese lizards with those from Oriental lizards or lizards of other geographical regions, parasites should be characterized both morphologically and phylogenetically.
First record of trypanosoma dionisii of the T. cruzi clade from the Eastern bent-winged bat (miniopterus fuliginosus) in the far East
(Springer, 2018) Mafie, Eliakunda; Rupa, Fatema Hashem; Takano, Ai; Suzuki, Kazuo; Maeda, Ken; Sato, Hiroshi
Chiropteran mammals worldwide harbour trypanosomes (Euglenozoa: Kinetoplastea: Trypanosomatida) of the subgenus ‘Schizotrypanum’ in the classical sense. Latterly, these trypanosomes have been referred to as members of the ‘Trypanosoma cruzi clade’ as their phylogenetic relationships, structure and life cycle conform to T. cruzi, parasitising various terrestrial mammals as well as humans in Latin America. Little is known, however, about the trypanosome species in Asian bats. During a survey on Borrelia spp. in the Eastern bent-winged bat (Miniopterus fuliginosus) living in a cave in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, incidental proliferation of trypanosomes was detected in two of 94 haemocultures. Squat or slender trypano- somes that proliferated in the cultures were 7.5–20.5 μm in length between both body ends and 1.0–3.8 μm in width with/without free flagella up to 14.5 μm (n = 29). The nucleotide sequences of the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene (SSU rDNA; 2176 bp), large subunit ribosomal RNA gene (1365 bp) and glycosomal glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene (gGAPDH; 843 bp) of the present isolates were characterized to clarify their molecular phylogenetic position in T. cruzi-like trypanosomes. The newly obtained SSU rDNA and gGAPDH nucleotide sequences showed the highest identities with Brazilian and European isolates of Trypanosoma dionisii of the T. cruzi clade, ranging between 99.4 and 99.7% or between 95.6 and 99.3% identities, respectively. Although multiple T. dionisii isolates from the North and South American continents showed the closest molecular genetic relatedness to the present Far East isolates, only short SSU rDNA segments of the former isolates were deposited. Therefore, a definitive conclusion cannot be made until full nucleotide sequencing of at least the American isolates’ SSU rDNA is available. This is the first confirmation of a Far East distribution of T. dionisii, demonstrating a wide geographical distribution of the species in the Eurasian and American continents with a limited nucleotide variation.
Integrative taxonomic approach of trypanosomes in the blood of rodents and soricids in Asian countries, with the description of three new species
(Springer, 2018) Mafie, Eliakunda; Saito-Ito, Atsuko; Kasai, Masatoshi; Hatta, Mochammad; Rivera, Pilarita T; Ma, Xiao-Hang; Chen, Eng-Rin; Sato, Hiroshi; Takada, Nobuhiro
Trypanosoma lewisi (Kinetoplastea: Trypanosomatida: Trypanosomatidae) with a cosmopolitan distribution is the type species of the subgenus Herpetosoma, which includes ca. 50 nominal species isolated mainly from rodents. Since members of Herpetosoma in different host species have an almost identical morphology of bloodstream forms, these trypanosomes are referred to as ‘T. lewisi-like’, and the molecular genetic characterization of each species is necessary to verify their taxonomy. In the present study, we collected blood samples from 89 murid rodents of 15 species and 11 soricids of four species in Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, and mainland China for the detection of hemoprotozoan infection. T. lewisi and T. lewisi-like trypanosomes were found in the blood smears of 10 murid animals, which included Bandicota indica (two rats), Rattus argentiventer (one rat), and Rattus tiomanicus (two rats) in Indonesia; Rattus rattus (one rat) in the Philippines; and Niviventer confucianus (four rats) in mainland China. Furthermore, large- or medium-sized non-T. lewisi-like trypanosomes were detected in two soricids, Crocidura dracula in Vietnam and Anourosorex yamashinai in Taiwan, respectively. Molecular genetic characterization of the small subunit (SSU) ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA) and glycosomal glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (gGAPDH) gene indicated that the trypanosomes from all the murid hosts had identical SSU rDNA or gGAPDH gene nucleotide sequences except for those in N. confucianus in mainland China. These N. confucianus-infecting trypanosomes also showed several unique morphological features such as smaller bodies, anteriorly positioned nuclei, and larger rod-shaped kinetoplasts when compared with T. lewisi trypomastigotes. Trypanosoma (Herpetosoma) niviventerae n. sp. is erected for this new species. Similarly, based on morpho- logical and molecular genetic characterization, Trypanosoma sapaensis n. sp. and Trypanosoma anourosoricis n. sp. are pro- posed for the trypanosomes in C. dracula in Vietnam and A. yamashinai in Taiwan, respectively. More effort directed toward the morphological and molecular genetic characterization of the trypanosomes of rodents and soricids is required to fully understand the real biodiversity of their hemoflagellates.
Morphological and molecular genetic characterization of two Kudoa spp., k. musculoliquefaciens, and k. pleurogrammi n. sp. (myxosporea: multivalvulida), causing myoliquefaction Of commercial marine fish
(Springer, 2016-01) Li, Ying-Chun; Mafie, Eliakunda; Sato, Hiroshi; Kasai, Akihiro
Genetic characterization of myxosporean species, including members of the genus Kudoa, has advanced dramat- ically throughout the last decade. This is in stark contrast to those species described further back in time. Kudoa musculoliquefaciens described from the jellied muscle of swordfish, Xiphias gladius, in the western Pacific Ocean off the Sanriku Coast, northern Japan, is one such species. In the present study, multiple pseudocysts (0.66–1.35 mm average length and 0.06–0.10 mm average width) containing K. musculoliquefaciens spores were collected from three host groups: muscle blocks of swordfish caught in the western Pacific Ocean off the Sanriku Coast, or the northern Indian Ocean, and Indo-Pacific sailfish, Istiophorus platypterus, in the western Pacific Ocean off Kochi, western Japan. Subspherical K. musculoliquefaciens spores, 8.0–10.3 μm in width, 7.3–10.0 μm in thickness, 6.4–7.9 μm in sutural thick- ness, and 5.5–8.1 μm in length, had four subspherical polar capsules, 2.8–4.0 μm in length by 2.2–3.2 μm in width. The kudoid spores found in the different host groups showed mor- phometric variations to some extent but had essentially iden- tical nucleotide sequences of the ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA), closest to those of Kudoa hemiscylli or Kudoa carcharhini recorded from elasmobranchs in the Indo-Pacific Ocean. Another kudoid species, Kudoa pleurogrammi n. sp., was recorded from the jellied and normal muscles of Atka mackerel, Pleurogrammus monopterygius and Pleurogrammus azonus, fished in the northern Pacific Ocean or northern Sea of Japan. Subquadrate spores found in round-ended pseudocysts (1.15–3.85 mm in length and 0.11–0.26 mm in width) in myofibers were 8.2–9.1 μm in width, 7.1–8.2 μm in thickness, 5.4–7.7 μm in sutural thick- ness, and 5.6–6.8 μm in length, with four ovoid polar cap- sules, 2.7–2.9 μm in length by 1.4–2.0 μm in width. Kudoid spores from both jellied and normal muscles or different host fish species had identical 18S or 28S rDNA nucleotide se- quences. Thus, molecular genetic characterization of kudoid species with the potential to induce post-mortem myoliquefaction will facilitate the reliable and specific identi- fication of myxosporeans found in either jellied or normal muscles of important commercial fish
New host records of monacanthid fish for three kudoa spp. (k. septempunctata, k. thyrsites, and k. shiomitsui) prevalent In the olive flounder (paralichthys olivaceus), with the description Of k. parathyrsites n. sp. from a black scraper (thamnaconus modestus)
(Springer, 2016) Kasai, Akihiro; Li, Ying-Chun; Mafie, Eliakunda; Sato, Hiroshi
Kudoa septempunctata (Myxosporean: Multivalvulida) is known as a cause of foodborne disease associated with consumption of raw flesh of the olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus). Knowledge of its life cycle, particu- larly alternate annelid hosts and reservoirs or susceptible fish hosts in natural waters, may facilitate disease control in aqua- culture farms. Our recent survey of myxosporean infection in monacanthid fish in natural waters around Japan revealed in- fection with three kudoid species prevalent in the olive floun- der, i.e., K. septempunctata, Kudoa thyrsites, and Kudoa shiomitsui. Of the 51 black scrapers (Thamnaconus modestus) examined, five fish were infected: two fish with K. septempunctata and three with K. thyrsites. One of the fish infected with K. septempunctata was also infected with a K. thyrsites-like species. One of the 17 threadsail filefish (Stephanolepis cirrhifer) and two of four unicorn leatherjackets (Aluterus monoceros) were parasitized with K. shiomitsui. Three modest filefish (Thamnaconus modestoides) had no kudoid infection. K. septempunctata from a black scraper fished in the Inland Sea of Japan off Yamaguchi had 6–8 (predominantly 7) shell valves/polar cap- sules, whereas K. septempunctata found in another black scraper from the Sea of Japan off Tottori had 5 or 6 (predominantly 6). However, the two isolates displayed iden- tical 18S and 28S ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA) nucleotide sequences, which were also identical to the isolates from the olive flounder. K. thyrsites from the Inland Sea of Japan off Yamaguchi and Sea of Japan off Tottori and K. shiomitsui from the Sea of Japan off Shimane and western Pacific Ocean off Kochi were also morphologically and genetically characterized. They were found to be coincident with the pre- vious reports from olive flounders. Furthermore, the K. thyrsites-like species found in a black scraper from the Inland Sea of Japan off Yamaguchi was morphologically and genetically characterized; a new species, Kudoa parathyrsites n. sp., is erected for this species. The relation- ships of the new species with K. thyrsites and related species as well as those of K. shiomitsui with Kudoa pericardialis and related species parasitizing the pericardium are briefly discussed.
Prevalence and associated risk factors of African animal trypanosomiasis in cattle in Lambwe, Kenya
(Hindawi, 2022-07-14) Okello, Ivy; Mafie, Eliakunda; Eastwood, Gillian; Nzalawahe, Jahashi; Mboera, Leonard E. G.; Onyoyo, Samuel
Background. African animal trypanosomiasis (AAT) affects livestock productivity in sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed to determine cattle AAT’s prevalence and associated risk factors in Lambwe Valley, Kenya. Methods. In a cross-sectional survey, livestock owners were recruited from four villages of Lambwe in Homa Bay, Kenya. Blood samples were collected from the jugular veins of cattle, and buffy coat smears were examined under a microscope. Parasites were further detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Using a semistructured questionnaire, livestock owners were interviewed on their knowledge of AAT and control practices. Chi-square and multilevel models were used for the analysis. Results. The overall prevalence was 15.63% (71/454). Trypanosoma vivax 10.31% and T. congolense Savannah 6.01% were the common species and subspecies. A total of 61 livestock keepers were involved in the study. Of these, 91.80% (56/61) knew AAT, and 90.16% (55/61) could describe the symptoms well and knew tsetse fly bite as transmission mode. Self-treatment (54.09%; 33/61) was common, with up to 50.00% of the farmers using drugs frequently. Isometamidium (72.13%; 44/61) and diminazene (54.09%; 33/61) were drugs frequently used. Although 16.39% (10/61) of the farmers claimed to use chemoprophylactic treatment, 6/10 did not use the right drugs. Animals (92.1%; 58/63) with clinical signs had positive infections. Villages closer to the national park recorded a higher prevalence. Infections were higher in cattle owned by those self-treating (27.23%; 58/213), those using drug treatment without vector control (27.62%; 50/181), those using single-drug therapy, and those practicing communal grazing (20.00%; 59/ 295). Clinical signs strongly associate with positive infections under multilevel modeling. Conclusion. Cattle trypanosomiasis is prevalent in the Lambwe region of Kenya. This is influenced by inappropriate control practices, communal grazing, and the proximity of farms to the national park. In addition, clinical signs of the disease have a strong association with infections
“Visiting old, learn new”: taxonomical overview of chiropteran trypanosomes from the morphology to the genes
(Springer, 2022-01-02) Sato, Hiroshi; Mafie, Eliakunda
Bats (the order Chiroptera) account for more than 20% of all mammalian species in the world; remarkably, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight using their wing-like forelimbs. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, various morphotypes (or genotypes in the last decade) of haemoflagellates in the genus Trypanosoma (Eugleno- zoa: Kinetoplastea: Trypanosomatidae) have been reported worldwide in the blood of bats. Of note, the latent nature of chiropteran trypanosome infection with low levels of parasitaemia, together with the apparent morphological variation of the bloodstream forms related to phenotypical plasticity and the morphological resemblance of different parasite species, has hampered the taxonomic classification of bat trypanosomes based on morphological criteria. This said, 50 years ago, Hoare (1972) provisionally divided bat trypanosomes into two major morphotypes: the megadermae group (corresponding to the subgenus Megatrypanum in the traditional taxonomic system; 8 species) and the vespertilionis group (similar to the subgenus Schizotrypanum; 5 species). Importantly, the biological and biochemical analyses of bat trypanosomes isolated by haemoculture, together with the molecular genetic characterisation using various gene markers, allowed the establishment of clear phylogenetic and taxonomic relationships of various isolates from different continents in the last two decades. Here, we review the historical taxonomic approaches used to define chiropteran trypanosomes, as well as the ones currently employed to shed light on the diversity and evolutional tracks of the globally distributed chiropteran trypanosomes.