Background: Tuberculosis (TB) remains the most frequent and important infectious disease causing morbidity and mortality globally. The World Health Organization estimates the incidence of all forms of TB in Zambia at ...Background: Tuberculosis (TB) remains the most frequent and important infectious disease causing morbidity and mortality globally. The World Health Organization estimates the incidence of all forms of TB in Zambia at 444/100,000. Tuberculosis case notification rates have increased eightfold over the past two decades and this is largely due to the concurrent Human Immunodeficiency Virus epidemic. The cornerstone of Tuberculosis control is early case detection and treatment which is promoted by Direct Observed Treatment-Short course strategy. This paper reviews the available information in English on TB situation in Ndola district of Zambia with the purpose of assessing successes recorded over the reviewed period. Results: This review has noted a reduction in the number of new cases of TB recorded, improved diagnosis and treatment success of TB in Ndola district over the reviewed period. Conclusion: This review has observed a reduction in the number of new cases of TB recorded in Ndola district over a period of ten years due to the strategies put up by the National TB Program as well as the effective implementation of the strategies by the District Medical team. These strategies included the Directly Observed Therapy Short course (DOTS).展开更多
A case of toxaemia secondary to pyloric foreign body obstruction in two four-month-old African lion cubs were presented in this article. The lion cubs were presented to the school of veterinary medicine with a complai...A case of toxaemia secondary to pyloric foreign body obstruction in two four-month-old African lion cubs were presented in this article. The lion cubs were presented to the school of veterinary medicine with a complaint of weight loss and stunted growth despite having a normal appetite and seizures. Defi nitive diagnosis was made based on gross pathology after attempting various symptomatic treatments. This article therefore is meant to discourage the use of blankets as bedding in holding enclosures for warmth and comfort post-weaning in captive lion cubs and indeed wild cats in general as they tend to eat bedding that has been soiled with food.展开更多
Objective: To determine the gastrointestinal tract helminthic fauna in domestic and wild guineafowl in Zambia.Methods: Post-mortem and laboratory parasitological examinations for helminth identification and enumeratio...Objective: To determine the gastrointestinal tract helminthic fauna in domestic and wild guineafowl in Zambia.Methods: Post-mortem and laboratory parasitological examinations for helminth identification and enumeration were conducted on 198 guineafowls(148 domestic and 50 wild) from November 2010 to October 2011.Results: All guineafowls were infested with one or more helminths. Eleven helminth species, namely, Raillietina echinobothrida, Raillietina tetragona, Raillietina cesticillus, Ascaridia galli, Allodapa suctoria, Gongylonema ingluvicola, Tetrameres spp., Heterakis spp., Acuaria spiralis, Syngamus trachea, and Streptocara pectinifera were identified with no trematodes recorded. Mean nematode burden between domestic and wild fowl showed no differences having 113.7 [confidence interval(CI) 98.9-128.6] and 108(CI 76.6-139.5) nematodes respectively. In contrast, female guineafowls had a mean of 151.9(CI 128.4-177.8) nematodes per host which was significantly more than the males that had a mean of 79.6(CI 66.8-94.4). However, there were differences in helminth species richness between domestic and wild guineafowls with domestic guineafowls having more species present at a mean of 4.2(CI 3.91-4.44) than the wild ones at a mean of 3.4(CI 2.92-3.88) but there were no sex differences. Eight of the eleven helminth species co-occurred in domestic and wild fowl and five of the helminth species had higher prevalence in domestic guineafowls.Conclusions: Syngamus trachea, Streptocara pectinifera and Acuaria spiralis are reported for the first time in domestic poultry in Zambia. This study represents the first comparative study of helminths in domestic and wild guineafowls at an interface area and adds to the knowledge base in a discipline where a dearth currently exists.展开更多
<strong>Background</strong>: Mealie Meal is one of the by-products of maize from dry milling. It constitutes more significant part of the daily diet of growing population of the Lusaka District of Zambia. ...<strong>Background</strong>: Mealie Meal is one of the by-products of maize from dry milling. It constitutes more significant part of the daily diet of growing population of the Lusaka District of Zambia. However, reported cases of a cholera outbreak in October 2017-May 2018 were attributed to water contamination in the households of Lusaka. Hitherto there is no previous study or documented data for gastroenteritis caused by microbial contamination from food stores. <strong>Aim</strong>: The main objective of the study was to carry out species identification of Mealie meal spoilage organisms and pathogenic bacteria from selected food stores in Lusaka district from September 2019-March 2020. Crosssectional survey was conducted for food spoilage organisms and pathogenic bacteria of packaged maize meal flour from a selected food store. The number of packaged Mealie meal samples from selected food stores included in the study was 143 samples. Samples were obtained by a simple stratified random selection from food stores in Lusaka District. Thus Mealie Meal samples bought from Street food vendors were 96 (67%), Shops—30 (21%), Malls—17 (11.9%). Subsequently isolation by spread and pour plate methods, and species identification of microbial contamination by Cell Culture processes coupled to microbial morphological and biochemical characterization was performed. Microsoft Office Excel (version 2007) Spreadsheet was employed for the categorical data analysis and summarized graphical presentation of data. Laboratory findings revealed: Spoilage organisms—<em>Aspergillum</em> species, <em>Mucor</em> Species, <em>Candida</em> Species, <em>Clostridium</em> Species and <em>Bacillus</em> Species;Pathogenic Bacteria Species—<em>Clostridium perfringens</em>, <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em>, <em>Clostridium tetani</em>, <em>Bacillus</em>, <em>Escherichia coli</em>, <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em> and <em>Yesinia pestis</em>. It can be established from the laboratory results earlier mentioned that the food poisoning outbreak could evolve from food stores in Lusaka district apart from water contamination.展开更多
<strong>Objectives:</strong> This study aimed to conduct a comparative assessment of bacterial cross-contamination in commercial and non-commercial processing plants including associated risk factors for b...<strong>Objectives:</strong> This study aimed to conduct a comparative assessment of bacterial cross-contamination in commercial and non-commercial processing plants including associated risk factors for bacterial contamination. <strong>Study Design</strong><strong>:</strong> This was analytic cross sectional survey on bacterial contamination of broiler carcasses between different processing systems. <strong>Introduction:</strong> Zambia, like most African and Asian Countries, still practices “live-open non-commercial broiler carcass processing systems” besides the “closed abattoir based systems”. However, shelf life, spoilage and hygiene levels have been postulated to vary based on the type of processing system. Live-open non-commercial processing systems are popular among majority consumers owing to their perceived “freshness”, compared to commercially dressed chickens. In between, consumers have to balance freshness and quality assurance. Ultimately, this becomes inert, remotely but an important public health issue. However, lack of empirical evidence on safety levels to guide consumer product selection leaves them to speculation. It is this need to close this gap that created an impetus for us to undertake this study. <strong>Methods:</strong> Biological samples were collected before carcass wash and after carcass wash alongside a structured questionnaire that gathered risk-associated data. Standard microbiological enumeration methods were used to isolate bacteria and enumerate contamination. <strong>Results:</strong> Broiler carcasses processed from “open” non-commercial systems were more contaminated (45.6%) than “closed-abattoir” commercially processed systems (35%). <em>Escherichia coli</em> were major contaminants (71.3%) and few <em>Salmonella</em> spices (typhi or para-typhi) in 1.3%. Risk analysis indicates washing (method) of carcasses at commercial systems was significantly more risky for contamination than non-commercial ones. Major sources of contamination were “distance from water sources”. Increased volume of slaughters per day (>15,000 birds) for commercial systems accounted for increased cross-contamination, particularly, distance from water source was a ma-jor risk factor for contamination.展开更多
文摘Background: Tuberculosis (TB) remains the most frequent and important infectious disease causing morbidity and mortality globally. The World Health Organization estimates the incidence of all forms of TB in Zambia at 444/100,000. Tuberculosis case notification rates have increased eightfold over the past two decades and this is largely due to the concurrent Human Immunodeficiency Virus epidemic. The cornerstone of Tuberculosis control is early case detection and treatment which is promoted by Direct Observed Treatment-Short course strategy. This paper reviews the available information in English on TB situation in Ndola district of Zambia with the purpose of assessing successes recorded over the reviewed period. Results: This review has noted a reduction in the number of new cases of TB recorded, improved diagnosis and treatment success of TB in Ndola district over the reviewed period. Conclusion: This review has observed a reduction in the number of new cases of TB recorded in Ndola district over a period of ten years due to the strategies put up by the National TB Program as well as the effective implementation of the strategies by the District Medical team. These strategies included the Directly Observed Therapy Short course (DOTS).
文摘A case of toxaemia secondary to pyloric foreign body obstruction in two four-month-old African lion cubs were presented in this article. The lion cubs were presented to the school of veterinary medicine with a complaint of weight loss and stunted growth despite having a normal appetite and seizures. Defi nitive diagnosis was made based on gross pathology after attempting various symptomatic treatments. This article therefore is meant to discourage the use of blankets as bedding in holding enclosures for warmth and comfort post-weaning in captive lion cubs and indeed wild cats in general as they tend to eat bedding that has been soiled with food.
基金Supported by the University of Zambia under UNZA-MAN No:07193
文摘Objective: To determine the gastrointestinal tract helminthic fauna in domestic and wild guineafowl in Zambia.Methods: Post-mortem and laboratory parasitological examinations for helminth identification and enumeration were conducted on 198 guineafowls(148 domestic and 50 wild) from November 2010 to October 2011.Results: All guineafowls were infested with one or more helminths. Eleven helminth species, namely, Raillietina echinobothrida, Raillietina tetragona, Raillietina cesticillus, Ascaridia galli, Allodapa suctoria, Gongylonema ingluvicola, Tetrameres spp., Heterakis spp., Acuaria spiralis, Syngamus trachea, and Streptocara pectinifera were identified with no trematodes recorded. Mean nematode burden between domestic and wild fowl showed no differences having 113.7 [confidence interval(CI) 98.9-128.6] and 108(CI 76.6-139.5) nematodes respectively. In contrast, female guineafowls had a mean of 151.9(CI 128.4-177.8) nematodes per host which was significantly more than the males that had a mean of 79.6(CI 66.8-94.4). However, there were differences in helminth species richness between domestic and wild guineafowls with domestic guineafowls having more species present at a mean of 4.2(CI 3.91-4.44) than the wild ones at a mean of 3.4(CI 2.92-3.88) but there were no sex differences. Eight of the eleven helminth species co-occurred in domestic and wild fowl and five of the helminth species had higher prevalence in domestic guineafowls.Conclusions: Syngamus trachea, Streptocara pectinifera and Acuaria spiralis are reported for the first time in domestic poultry in Zambia. This study represents the first comparative study of helminths in domestic and wild guineafowls at an interface area and adds to the knowledge base in a discipline where a dearth currently exists.
文摘<strong>Background</strong>: Mealie Meal is one of the by-products of maize from dry milling. It constitutes more significant part of the daily diet of growing population of the Lusaka District of Zambia. However, reported cases of a cholera outbreak in October 2017-May 2018 were attributed to water contamination in the households of Lusaka. Hitherto there is no previous study or documented data for gastroenteritis caused by microbial contamination from food stores. <strong>Aim</strong>: The main objective of the study was to carry out species identification of Mealie meal spoilage organisms and pathogenic bacteria from selected food stores in Lusaka district from September 2019-March 2020. Crosssectional survey was conducted for food spoilage organisms and pathogenic bacteria of packaged maize meal flour from a selected food store. The number of packaged Mealie meal samples from selected food stores included in the study was 143 samples. Samples were obtained by a simple stratified random selection from food stores in Lusaka District. Thus Mealie Meal samples bought from Street food vendors were 96 (67%), Shops—30 (21%), Malls—17 (11.9%). Subsequently isolation by spread and pour plate methods, and species identification of microbial contamination by Cell Culture processes coupled to microbial morphological and biochemical characterization was performed. Microsoft Office Excel (version 2007) Spreadsheet was employed for the categorical data analysis and summarized graphical presentation of data. Laboratory findings revealed: Spoilage organisms—<em>Aspergillum</em> species, <em>Mucor</em> Species, <em>Candida</em> Species, <em>Clostridium</em> Species and <em>Bacillus</em> Species;Pathogenic Bacteria Species—<em>Clostridium perfringens</em>, <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em>, <em>Clostridium tetani</em>, <em>Bacillus</em>, <em>Escherichia coli</em>, <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em> and <em>Yesinia pestis</em>. It can be established from the laboratory results earlier mentioned that the food poisoning outbreak could evolve from food stores in Lusaka district apart from water contamination.
文摘<strong>Objectives:</strong> This study aimed to conduct a comparative assessment of bacterial cross-contamination in commercial and non-commercial processing plants including associated risk factors for bacterial contamination. <strong>Study Design</strong><strong>:</strong> This was analytic cross sectional survey on bacterial contamination of broiler carcasses between different processing systems. <strong>Introduction:</strong> Zambia, like most African and Asian Countries, still practices “live-open non-commercial broiler carcass processing systems” besides the “closed abattoir based systems”. However, shelf life, spoilage and hygiene levels have been postulated to vary based on the type of processing system. Live-open non-commercial processing systems are popular among majority consumers owing to their perceived “freshness”, compared to commercially dressed chickens. In between, consumers have to balance freshness and quality assurance. Ultimately, this becomes inert, remotely but an important public health issue. However, lack of empirical evidence on safety levels to guide consumer product selection leaves them to speculation. It is this need to close this gap that created an impetus for us to undertake this study. <strong>Methods:</strong> Biological samples were collected before carcass wash and after carcass wash alongside a structured questionnaire that gathered risk-associated data. Standard microbiological enumeration methods were used to isolate bacteria and enumerate contamination. <strong>Results:</strong> Broiler carcasses processed from “open” non-commercial systems were more contaminated (45.6%) than “closed-abattoir” commercially processed systems (35%). <em>Escherichia coli</em> were major contaminants (71.3%) and few <em>Salmonella</em> spices (typhi or para-typhi) in 1.3%. Risk analysis indicates washing (method) of carcasses at commercial systems was significantly more risky for contamination than non-commercial ones. Major sources of contamination were “distance from water sources”. Increased volume of slaughters per day (>15,000 birds) for commercial systems accounted for increased cross-contamination, particularly, distance from water source was a ma-jor risk factor for contamination.
