Browsing by Author "Sabuni, Christopher"

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A Study on the ectoparasites and hemoparasites infections in Rodents from the Kilwa district, Tanzania
(Journal of Applied Veterinary Science and Technology, 2025) Waya, Pilato; Martin, Martin; Sabuni, Christopher
Ectoparasites play a significant role in facilitating the transmission of disease pathogens and parasites that affect animals and humans. This study aims to assess the prevalence of ectopara- sites and hemoparasites in rodents from the Kilwa district, Tanzania. A cross-sectional study was conducted to trap 138 rodents using Sherman and wire cage traps. Ectoparasites were removed from rodents by using fine brushes and identified based on morphological features using a Stereo microscope with the assistance of dichotomous taxonomic keys. Blood samples were collected from supraorbital veinsin captured rodents, and thick and thin smears were made, stained and examined using a Compound Microscope for screening hemoparasite. The overall prevalence of ectoparasites in rodents was 57.87 % with a high infestation of rodents by Echinolaelaps (Laelaps) echidninus (44.20%) than Laelaps nuttalli (10.87%), Xenopsylla cheopis (12.32%), and Rhipicephalus appendiculatus (2.90%). Most ectopara- sites were found in M. natalensis 76.40% followed by R. rattus 25.81%, and G. leucogaster 36.36%. Adult rodents recorded 63.41% of ectoparasites prevalence higher than juveniles 13.33% (p< 0.05). The overall prevalence of hemoparasites in rodents was 18.12%. The identified hemoparasites were Anaplasma sp. (13.04%), Babesia sp. (3.62%), and Trypanosoma sp. (1.45%) observed only in adult rodents. The study recommends engaging and encouraging the community to use integrated pest management practices for rodents and ectoparasite control and prevention to safeguard both human and animal health.Received: 18 Ektoparasit berperan penting dalam memfasilitasi penularan patogen penyakit dan parasit yang menyerang hewan dan manusia. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menilai prevalensi ektoparasit dan hemoparasit pada hewan pengerat dari distrik Kilwa, Tanzania. Penelitian cross-sectional dilakukan untuk menjebak 138 hewan pengerat menggunakan perangkap Sherman dan perangkap kawat. Ektoparasit dikeluarkan dari hewan pengerat menggunakan sikat halus dan diidentifikasi berdasarkan ciri morfologi menggunakan mikroskop stereo dengan bantuan kunci taksonomi dikotomis. Sampel darah dikumpulkan dari vena supraorbital pada hewan pengerat yang ditangkap, dan apusan tebal dan tipis dibuat, diwarnai, dan diperiksa menggunakan mikroskop majemuk untuk skrining hemoparasit. Prevalensi ektoparasit pada rodensia secara keseluruhan adalah 57,87% dengan tingkat infestasi rodensia tertinggi oleh Echinolaelaps (Laelaps) echidninus (44,20%) dibandingkan dengan Laelaps nuttalli (10,87%), Xenopsyl- la cheopis (12,32%), dan Rhipicephalus appendiculatus (2,90%). Ektoparasit terbanyak ditemukan pada M. natalensis 76,40% diikuti oleh R. rattus 25,81%, dan G. leucogaster 36,36%. Tikus dewasa mencatat preval- ensi ektoparasit sebesar 63,41%, lebih tinggi daripada tikus muda yang hanya 13,33% (p< 0,05). Prevalensi hemoparasit secara keseluruhan pada tikus adalah 18,12%. Hemoparasit yang teridentifikasi adalah Anaplasma sp. (13,04%), Babesia sp. (3,62%), dan Trypanosoma sp. (1,45%) yang hanya ditemukan pada tikus dewasa. This study revealed a high prevalence of ectoparasites (57.87%) and a moder- ate prevalence of hemoparasites (18.12%) among rodents in Kilwa district, Tanzania, with Mastomys natalensis being the most infested species.
Efficiency of anthelmintic treatment and its effect on microparasite dynamics in wild Mastomys natalensis
(International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife, 2025) van de Ven, Marre; Broecke, Bram Vanden; Ribas, Alexis; Leirs, Herwig; Sabuni, Christopher; Mariën, Joachim
Co-infections between helminths and microparasites can modulate the host immune response and alter disease dynamics, with potential implications for public health. However, identifying causal relationships in natural populations is challenging due to the complexity of ecological interactions. Perturbation experiments, where a specific parasite is selectively reduced, offers a powerful framework to directly test such interactions under natural conditions. In this study, we investigated potential helminth-microparasite interactions in the multi mammate mouse (Mastomys natalensis) in Tanzania by experimentally reducing helminth infections in both captive and wild populations. We first confirmed that two anthelmintic treatments, ivermectin and pyrantel pamoate, effectively reduced gastrointestinal nematode burdens in wild-caught individuals. We then assessed whether helminth reduction influenced the prevalence of viral and bacterial infections in free-living populations. Our results revealed no significant short-term effect of anthelmintic treatment on microparasitic infections. These findings suggest that helminth-microparasite interactions in M. natalensis may be subtle, context-dependent, or require longer timescales to become apparent
Mopeia Virus– related Arenavirus in Natal Multimammate Mice, Morogoro, Tanzania
(2009-12-12) Günther, Stephan; Hoofd, Guy; Charrel, Remi; Röser, Christina; Becker-Ziaja, Beate; Lloyd, Graham; Sabuni, Christopher; Verhagen, Ron; Groen, Guido van der; Kennis, Jan; Katakweba, Abdul; Machang’u, Robert; Makundi, Rhodes; Leirs, Herwig
A renaviruses are segmented negative-strand RNA vi- ruses. Their natural hosts are various rodent species. The virus family comprises several human pathogens caus- ing hemorrhagic fever, namely Machupo, Guanarito, Junin, Sabia, and Chapare viruses in South America, and Lassa and Lujo viruses in Africa (1–3). In addition, Africa har- bors arenaviruses that are not linked with human disease: Mobala, Ippy, Mopeia, and Kodoko viruses (4–7). We con- ducted a systematic search in wildlife in Tanzania to iden- tify new African arenaviruses.
Population dynamics of the multimammate rat (mastomys natalensis) and makundi’s brush fur rat (lophuromys makundii) and their implications in disease persistence in Mbulu District, Tanzania
(Springer Nature Link, 2024-03-06) Kessy, Stella T.; Sabuni, Christopher; Massawe, Apia W.; Makundi, Rhodes; Rija, Alfan A.
Understanding host population dynamics in connection to disease persistence is important for determining the epizootic risks present in plague foci. We used a capture-mark-recapture method to investigate the population dynamics of Mastomys natalensis and Lophuromys makundii in an active plague focus, in Mbulu District, Tanzania. We hypothesized higher abundance in plague-persistent locality and between habits and seasons. We found distinct patterns of abundance in M. natalensis between farm and forest habitats. The abundance was significantly higher in farms in plague persistent than non-plague persistent areas. The dry season showed a significant increase of abundance compared to the long rain season and the short rain season. A significant increase in breeding females was observed in farms in plague persistent than non-plague persistent localities while farms showed a significant decrease compared to forests. Dry season was associated with an increase in breeding females compared to the long rain season and the short rain season. Furthermore, the abundance of L. makundii showed a significant increase in forest in plague persistent than non-plague persistent localities. The abundance increased significantly during the dry season and long rain season compared to the short rain season. The proportion of breeding females was significantly higher in forests in plague persistent than non-plague persistent localities. The breeding females significantly increased during the dry and the short rain season than the long rain season. These findings contribute to our understanding of the ecological factors shaping the population dynamics of these species and their potential roles in plague persistence.
ProxLogs: Miniaturised proximity loggers for monitoring association behaviour in small mammals
(Hystrix, the Italian Journal of Mammalogy, 2021) Kirkpatrick, Lucinda; Olivares, Ivan Hererra; Massawe, Apia; Sabuni, Christopher; Leirs, Herwig; Berkvens, Rafael; Weyn, Maarten
The ability to monitor associations between wild animals is essential for understanding the processes governing gene transfer, information transfer, competition, predation and disease transmission. Until recently, such insights have been confined to large, visible or captive animals. However, the rapid development of miniature sensors for consumer electronics is allowing ecologists to monitor the natural world in ways previously considered impossible. Here we describe miniature (<1g) proximity loggers we have developed that use Bluetooth Low Energy transmission to register contacts between individuals. Our loggers are open source, low cost, rechargeable, able to store up to 2000 contacts, can be programmed in situ and can download data remotely or through a mobile phone application, increasing their utility in remote areas or with species which are challenging to recapture. We successfully trialled our loggers in a range of field realistic conditions, demonstrating that Bluetooth Low Energy is capable of logging associations in structurally complex habitats, and that changes in received signal strength can be equated to short range changes in distance between loggers. Furthermore, we tested the system on starlings (Sturnidae vulgaris).
Rodent abundance, diversity and community structure in a bubonic plague endemic area, northern Tanzania
(De Gruyter, 2023-08-07) Kessy, Stella T.; Makundi, Rhodes H.; Sabuni, Christopher; Massawe, Apia W.; Rija, Alfan A.
Rodent-borne diseases such as bubonic plague remain a significant threat to public health in tropical countries. In plague-endemic areas, little information exists on the factors triggering periodic bursts, thus rendering preparedness strategies for preventing the negative impacts of the deadly zoonosis difficult. In this study, we assessed how species richness, diversity, and community structure of rodents are associated with plague persistence in Mbulu District, Tanzania. Rodent data were collected using the removal trapping technique. We captured 610 rodents belonging to 12 species, with Mastomys natalensis recording highest abundance. There was significantly higher abun- dance and species richness in persistent than non-persistent plague locality. Also, house premises recorded significantly lower species richness than farm and forest habitats. Addi- tionally, we found three broad rodent community structures that varied significantly between studied habitat types sug- gesting high rodent populations interaction at fine-scale resource abundance. The high abundance and diversity of plague-susceptible rodent reservoirs suggestively contribute to the plague persistence in the foci. These results may be useful to developing preparedness strategies in these areas to control plague outbreaks.
The role of rodents and small carnivores in plague ende- micity in Tanzania
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2005-12) Kilonzo, Bukheti; Mhina, Julius; Sabuni, Christopher; Georgies Mgode, Georgies
Between 1974 and 2003, blood samples were collected from wild and commensal rodents, and wild and domestic small carnivores in selected villages of seven districts in Tanzania that have experienced human plague outbreaks and seven districts that have not experienced any outbreak of the disease. The samples were tested for antibodies against Yersinia pestis Fraction I antigen, using passive haemagglutination (PHA) or ELISA tests. Of the 3354 rodents and 558 small carnivores from the plague infected districts, 122 (3.6 %) rodents (captured in Mbulu and Lushoto districts) were plague positive ; 29 (5.2 %) small carnivores from Mbulu, Arumeru, Hai and Lushoto districts were plague positive, 28 of these were domestic dogs (Canis familiaris). PCR tests showed that 17.5 % of 211 rodents tested from Lushoto contained Y. pestis DNA. In the non-infected districts, 1545 rodents and 171 domestic dogs were tested. 11 (0.7 %) of the rodents (captured in Monduli, Chunya and Masasi districts) were plague-positive. In Masasi district, 10.4% (7/67) of the rodents and 43.6 % (17/39) of the dogs were positive for anti-Y. pestis IgG. It was concluded that wild and commensal rodents as well as wild and domestic small carnivores play a potential role as reservoirs and/or carriers of sylvatic plague in Tanzania, and that the disease exists in areas where human plague outbreaks have not occurred before. In order to update the distribution of the disease it is pro- posed that further epidemiological surveillance activities are established.