Browsing by Author "Peter, Emma"

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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.
Molecular characterization of African swine fever virus from domestic pigs in northern Tanzania during an outbreak in 2013
(Springer Netherlands, 2014-10) Misinzo, Gerald; Kwavi, David E; Sikombe, Christopher D; Makange, Mariam; Peter, Emma; Muhairwa, Amandus P; Madege, Michael J
African swine fever (ASF) is an acute, highly contagious and deadly viral hemorrhagic fever of domestic pigs caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV), a double-stranded DNA virus of the family Asfarviridae. In this study, molecular diagnosis and characterization of outbreak ASFV in northern Tanzania, was performed on spleen, lymph node, kidney, and heart samples collected in June and July 2013 from domestic pigs that died during a hemorrhagic disease outbreak. Confirmatory diagnosis of ASF was performed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) by partial amplification of B646L gene of ASFV encoding the major capsid protein p72 using PPA1/PPA2 primers. PCR using PPA1/PPA2 primers produced an expected PCR product size, confirming ASF outbreak in northern Tanzania. In addition, nucleotide amplification and sequencing, and phylogenetic reconstruction of the variable 3′-end of the …
Screening for foot and mouth disease virus in buffaloes and cattle in selected livestock-wildlife interface areas of Tanzania
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2013) Peter, Emma
Rapid and accurate diagnosis is paramount in understanding the infection status of foot and-mouth disease (FMD) virus (FMDV) in animals. In this study, the singleplex real time RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) assay employing the Callahan 3DF-2, 3DF-R primers and Callahan 3DP-1 probe were used in screening for FMDV genome on esophageal–pharyngeal (OP) fluids. The OP samples were collected from cattle and African buffaloes in livestock-wildlife interface areas of Mikumi, Mkomazi and Ruaha National Parks in Tanzania in 2011, which included National Parks and surrounding areas. The detection rates of FMDV genome were 5.88% (n = 3), 19.44% (n = 7) and 41.18% (n = 21) in Mkomazi, Ruaha and Mikumi National Parks, respectively. FMDV detection rates in Mkomazi and Mikumi were significantly higher in the African buffaloes (p < 0.05) compared to that in cattle. There was no correlation of FMDV detection with either age or sex of the animals in the three National Parks. These findings indicate that cattle and buffaloes in Mikumi, Ruaha and Mkomazi were naturally infected with FMDV. Furthermore, the higher FMDV detection rates in buffaloes suggest that buffaloes could potentially act as reservoirs for FMDV and possibly play a significant role in transmission of the virus to other in-contact susceptible animals. Further studies, including serotyping, virus isolation, experimental infection and sequencing of the viruses, are required to elucidate the complex epidemiology of FMD in cattle and buffaloes in the livestock-wildlife interface areas in Tanzania.