Browsing by Author "Borremans, Benny"

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Arenavirus dynamics in experimentally and naturally infected rodents
(EcoHealth Alliance) Marien, Joachim; Borremans, Benny; Gryseels, Sophie; Broecke, Bram Vanden; Becker-Ziaja, Beate; Makundi, Rhodes; Massawe, Apia; Reijniers, Jonas; Leirs, Herwig
Comparative study of movement patterns of Mastomys natalensis in irrigated rice and fallow fields in eastern Tanzania
(John Wiley & Sons Ltd) Mulungu, Loth S.; Borremans, Benny; Ngowo, V; Mdangi, Mashaka E.; Katakweba, Abdul S.; Tesha, P; Mrosso, Furaha P.; Mchomvu, M; Kilonzo, Bukheti S.
Comparative study of movement patterns of Mastomys natalensis in irrigated rice and fallow fields in eastern Tanzania
(John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 2015) Mulungu, Loth S.; Borremans, Benny; Ngowo, V; Mdangi, Mashaka E.; Katakweba, Abdul S.; Tesha, P; Mrosso, Furaha P.; Mchomvu, M; Kilonzo, Bukheti S.
A 2-year capture–mark–recapture study was conducted to estimate home ranges and weekly travel distance of Mastomys natalensis (Smith 1834) in an irrigated rice ecosystem and fallow fields. We found that adults have larger home ranges than subadults in fallow fields but not in rice fields, indicating that fallow fields are more suitable for breeding. Travel distances were larger in rice fields, especially in the transplanting stage, during which rice fields are flooded and provide less food, causing movements into neighbouring fallow fields that then temporarily experience higher population density. A decrease in travel distance was observed in rice fields during the maturity stage, which can be explained by higher food availability and a more suitable, nonflooded situation. Movement of M. natalensis in rice-fallow mosaic landscapes thus seems to be driven by food availability and flooding status of the rice fields, which can be attributed to land use practices.
Does exploratory behavior or activity in a wild mouse explain susceptibility to virus infection?
(Oxford university press.) Makundi, Rhodes H.; Massawe, Apia W; Leirs, Herwig; Hughes, Nelika K; Broecke, Bram V; Borremans, Benny; Mariën, Joachim
"Gairovirus,anovelarena virusof the widespread Mastomys natalensis: genetically divergent,but ecologically similar to Lassa and Morogoro viruses
(ElsevierInc) Gryseels, Sophie; Rieger, Toni; Oestereich, Lisa; Cuypers, Bart; Borremans, Benny; Makundi, Rhodes; Leirs, Herwig; Günther, Stephan; Goüy de Bellocq, Joëlle
"Gairovirus,anovelarena virusof the widespread Mastomys natalensis: genetically divergent,but ecologically similar to Lassa and Morogoro viruses
(ElsevierInc, 2015) Gryseels, Sophie; Rieger, Toni; Oestereich, Lisa; Cuypers, Bart; Borremans, Benny; Makundi, Rhodes; Leirs, Herwig; Günther, Stephan; Goüy de Bellocq, Joëlle
Despite itsnearpan-Africanrange,theNatalmultimammatemouse, Mastomysnatalensis, carriesthe human pathogenLassavirusonlyinWestAfrica,whiletheseeminglynon-pathogenicarenaviruses Mopeia, Morogoro,andLunahavebeendetectedinthissemi-commensalrodentinMozambique/ Zimbabwe,TanzaniaandZambia,respectively.Here,wedescribeanovelarenavirusin M. natalensis from Gairo districtofcentralTanzania,forwhichweproposethename “Gairo virus”. Surprisingly,thevirusis not closelyrelatedwithMorogorovirusthatinfects M. natalensis only 90kmsouthofGairo,butclusters phylogeneticallywithMobala-likevirusesthatinfectnon-M. natalensis host speciesinCentralAfrican RepublicandEthiopia.Despitetheevolutionarydistance,Gairovirussharesbasicecologicalfeatures with theother M. natalensis-borne virusesLassaandMorogoro.Ourdatashowthat M. natalensis, carrying distantlyrelatedviruseseveninthesamegeographicalarea,isapotentreservoirhostfora varietyofarenaviruses.
Laboratory and field tests of Carbaryl 5% against fleas in Lushoto district, Tanzania
Katakweba, Abdul A.S; Mhamphi, Ginethon. G; Mwalimu, Dismas C.; Mchau, Geophrey; Mbise, Thomas J.; Lugendo, Ramadhani M; Borremans, Benny; Kilonzo, Bukheti S.
Laboratory and field tests of Carbaryl 5% against fleas in Lushoto district, Tanzania
(2015-04) Katakweba, Abdul A.S; Mhamphi, Ginethon. G; Mwalimu, Dismas C.; Mchau, Geophrey; Mbise, Thomas J.; Lugendo, Ramadhani M; Borremans, Benny; Kilonzo, Bukheti S.
Background and Objective: Lushoto district has been an active focus of plague disease since 1980 and many pesticides were used to control rodents and fleas from 1980 to 2003 when outbreaks occurred yearly. For over seven years ago commercial Carbaryl 5% powder has been used for controlling fleas in the area. However, there is no current research to substantiate its effectiveness either in the laboratory or in the field. Methods: Immature stages of Xenopsylla brasiliensis were collected from two villages in Lushoto and transported to Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Morogoro and reared in an insectary to stock colony. Known weights of commercial Carbaryl 5% powder were thoroughly mixed with known weights of clean fine sand as to obtain a final concentration of 0.05% (WW) of Carbaryl/sand mixture. The same concentration was suspended in 50cc distilled water and pieces of filter paper were soaked in the solution, left at room temperature until the suspension was fully adsorbed and the papers were left to dry. Adult fleas of mixed ages and of both sexes were obtained from the stock colony and exposed to both Carbaryl/sand mixture and Carbaryl-adsorbed filter papers for various periods of time. Field trials were carried out at Manolo and Viti villages where house and rodent flea indices were determined before and after dusting with commercial Carbaryl 5% powder. Results: In the laboratory tests, 100% mortality occurred at 90 minutes exposure in Carbaryl/sand mixture experiments and at 35 minutes exposure to Carbaryl-adsorbed filter papers. LT50 in both sets of exposure was 48.2 min and 23.1 min in Carbaryl/sand mixture and Carbaryl-coated filter papers tests respectively. In field trials, X. brasiliensis and Pulex irritans were the most abundant flea species. Post-dusting flea populations were significantly lower in treated than in control houses (p=0.028). House flea indices dropped from 7.7 to 0.33 and 37.8 to 0 in Viti and Manolo villages respectively at 3 months post-dusting. Conclusion: Commercial Carbaryl 5% powder in current use was still effective against potential flea vectors in Lushoto.
Presence of Mopeia Virus, an African Arenavirus, Related to Biotope and Individual Rodent Host Characteristics: Implications for Virus Transmission
Borremans, Benny; Leirs, Herwig; Gryseels, Sophie; Gu¨ nther, Stephan; Makundi, Rhodes; de Bellocq, Joe¨ lle Gou¨ y
Prevalence of haemoparasites, leptospires and coccobacilli with potential for human infection in the blood of rodents and shrews from selected localities in Tanzania, Namibia and Swaziland
(African Zoology) Katakweba, Abdul A.S.; Mulungu, Loth S.; Eiseb, Seth J.; Mahlaba, Themb’alilahlwa A.; Makundi, Rhodes H.; Massawe, Apia W.; Borremans, Benny; Belmain, Steven R.
Prevalence of haemoparasites, leptospires and coccobacilli with potential for human infection in the blood of rodents and shrews from selected localities in Tanzania, Namibia and Swaziland
(African Zoology, 2012-02) Katakweba, Abdul A.S.; Mulungu, Loth S.; Eiseb, Seth J.; Mahlaba, Themb’alilahlwa A.; Makundi, Rhodes H.; Massawe, Apia W.; Borremans, Benny; Belmain, Steven R.
The prevalence of haemoparasites, leptospirosis and Yersinia pestis was investigated in rodents and shrews from Tanzania, Namibia and Swaziland. Blood smears originating from rodents and shrews from the three countries indicated the presence of Trypanosoma lewisi (72.7%; n =950), Bacillus spp. (25.6%; n =950), Borrelia sp. (0.01%; n =950) and bipolar coccobacilli (0.01%; n =950). The blood smears from Namibia (n =26) had no haemoparasites while only 1.33% (n =75) of those from Swaziland showed presence of T. lewisi. Leptospira interrogans was found in rodent blood sera from Tanzania in the following serogroup proportions (n =350): Icterohaemorrhagiae (10.29%), Pomona (2.86%), Hardjo (1.14%), Bullum (0.86%), Grippotyphosa (1.43%) and Canicola (1.14%). Serodiagnosis of antibodies against the F1 antigen of Y. pestis using the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was negative for all the serum samples from central Tanzania, while two samples of serum from two species of rodents, Rhabdomys pumilio and Gerbilliscus leucogaster, collected in the Kavango Region of Namibia were positive. These results suggest an enzootic plague activity in this region in Namibia. It is concluded that zoonotic agents, that are infectious to humans, are prevalent in rodents and shrews in the three countries, and that local communities should apply rodent control measures to reduce the risk of human infections.
Sympatric occurrence of 3 arenaviruses, Tanzania
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania.) Bellocq, J. Goüy de; Borremans, Benny; Katakweba, Abdul; Makundi, Rhodes H.; Baird, Stuart J.E.
Sympatric Occurrence of 3 Arenaviruses, Tanzania
Goüy de Bellocq, Joëlle; Borremans, Benny; Katakweba, Abdul; Makundi, Rhodes H.; Baird, Stuart J.E; Becker-Ziaja, Beate; Günther, Stephan; Leirs, Herwig
Sympatric occurrence of 3 arenaviruses, Tanzania
(Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania., 2010-04) Bellocq, J. Goüy de; Borremans, Benny; Katakweba, Abdul; Makundi, Rhodes H.; Baird, Stuart J.E.
To determine the specifi city of Morogoro virus for its reservoir host, we studied its host range and genetic diversity in Tanzania. We found that 2 rodent species other than Mastomys natalensis mice carry arenaviruses. Analysis of 340 nt of the viral RNA polymerase gene showed sympatric occurrence of 3 distinct arenaviruses.
Sympatric Occurrence of 3 Arenaviruses, Tanzania
(2010-04) Goüy de Bellocq, Joëlle; Borremans, Benny; Katakweba, Abdul; Makundi, Rhodes H.; Baird, Stuart J.E; Becker-Ziaja, Beate; Günther, Stephan; Leirs, Herwig
To determine the specifi city of Morogoro virus for its reservoir host, we studied its host range and genetic diversity in Tanzania. We found that 2 rodent species other than Mastomys natalensis mice carry arenaviruses. Analysis of 340 nt of the viral RNA polymerase gene showed sympatric occurrence of 3 distinct arenaviruses.