Browsing by Author "Matee, Mecky I."

Now showing 1 - 8 of 8
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Evidence of Yersinia pestis DNA in rodents in plague outbreak foci in Mbulu and Karatu Districts, northern Tanzania
    Ziwa, Michael H.; Matee, Mecky I.; Kilonzo, Bukheti S.; Hang’ombe, Bernard M.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Evidence of Yersinia pestis DNA in rodents in plague outbreak foci in Mbulu and Karatu Districts, northern Tanzania
    (2013-07) Ziwa, Michael H.; Matee, Mecky I.; Kilonzo, Bukheti S.; Hang’ombe, Bernard M.
    Human plague remains a public health concern in Tanzania despite its quiescence in most foci for years, considering the recurrence nature of the disease. Appreciable researches have involved serological screening of rodents, fleas and humans but none has involved molecular detection and hence proving the presence of Yersinia pestis in rodents in the most recent affected foci, Mbulu and Karatu districts in northern Tanzania. The objective of the current study was to employ a simple PCR to detect Yersinia pestis plasminogen activator (pla) gene in various potential mammalian hosts/reservoirs. The study was conducted in five villages in Mbulu and one in Karatu districts during the period of no disease outbreak. Rodents and small wild carnivores were captured, anaesthetized, identified, sexed and autopsied. Liver, spleen, heart and lung specimens were collected and DNA extracted after which PCR was used to detect the Y. pestis pla gene. A total of 517 small mammals were captured; of which, 493 (95.4%) were from Mbulu and 24 (4.6%) from Karatu. Two Mastomys natalensis (one from each district) and one Gerbilliscus sp. in Mbulu district were positive for Y. pestis pla gene. In conclusion, our results have provided a proof on the presence of Y. pestis in the two rodent species (Mastomys natalensis and Gerbilliscus sp.) and thus providing indicative evidence that the two are potential reservoirs of the pathogen and hence may be responsible for maintaining the same during periods of no disease outbreaks.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Farm costs and benefits of antimicrobial use reduction on broiler farms in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
    (Frontiers, 2022-11-15) Azabo, Rogers R.; George, Janeth I.; Mshana, Stephen E.; Matee, Mecky I.; Kimera, Sharadhuli I.
    Of all animal derived-food, the demand for poultry meat is the most dynamic. The poultry sector can meet this demand only by introducing intensive production where antimicrobial use is inevitable. Bacterial infection prevention and control is an important factor in intensive livestock production. Antibiotics are an effective and relatively inexpensive means of preventing and controlling infections, thus maintaining animal health and productivity. The aim of this study was to gain insight into the costs and benefits of various scenarios of antimicrobial use reduction at broiler farms in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. This study focused on the economic impact of an average broiler farm. Costs and benefits for various scenarios of antimicrobial use reduction levels were projected by a partial budget framework using the Mclnerney model. The disease cost of the current situation was US$225. On reduction of antimicrobial use by 20% the avoidable disease cost was US$ 31, by 50% was US$ 83 and by 100% was US$ 147. A reduction in antibiotic use can only be achieved if better alternatives are available to combat disease. In conclusion, the model predicts that reducing antibiotic use increases production costs. Future studies on antimicrobial use reduction’s impact on morbidity and mortality and the efficiency of additional control and other measures of producing poultry meat without high concentrations of antibiotics are necessary.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Investigation of fleas as vectors in the transmission of plague during a quiescent period in North-Eastern, Tanzania
    Haule, Martin; Lyamuya, Eligius E.; Hang’ombe, Bernard M.; Matee, Mecky I.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Investigation of fleas as vectors in the transmission of plague during a quiescent period in North-Eastern, Tanzania
    (2013-12) Haule, Martin; Lyamuya, Eligius E.; Hang’ombe, Bernard M.; Matee, Mecky I.
    Yersinia pestis, the etiologic agent of plague, is normally transmitted to animals by infective flea-bites. Fleas associated with rodents, cats, dogs and other small mammals are considered important for the maintenance and transmission of the bacterium. Therefore, a study was undertaken to investigate the presence of Y. pestis in fleas of North-Eastern Tanzania during a quiescent period. House rodents were trapped with box traps while field and forest rodents were trapped with Sherman live traps. Fleas were collected from rodents by brushing the animal using shoe-shiner brush. House dwelling fleas were trapped with light traps while fleas from cats, dogs, goats and pigs were collected by rubbing their fur with ether soaked cotton wool and brushing as for rodents. All collected fleas were identified to genus level and subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for Y. pestis DNA. Chi square test was used for comparison of proportions and statistical significance and p value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. A total of 340 rodents, the majority of which Mastomys natalensis (32.6%), Rattus rattus (26.7%), Lophuromys flavopunctatus (16.6%) and Praomys delectorum (16.3%) were captured. A total of 805 fleas (Xenopsylla spp., Dinopsyllus spp., Ctenophthalmus spp. and Echidnophaga gallinacea) were collected from rodents with an overall flea index of 2.4 fleas/rodent. Fleas from domestic animals were mostly Ctenocephalides spp. (>90%). A total of 270 house dwellings fleas with an overall index of 3.6 fleas per house were collected. Pulex irritans, Xenopsylla spp., Tunga penetrans, E. gallinacea and Ctenophthalmus spp. were dominant. All fleas were negative for Y. pestis DNA. This study has demonstrated a high flea abundance and high density indicating a high susceptibility of the study area to plague if and when other conditions are favorable, hence effective flea and rodent control measures should be put in place. The non-detection of Y. pestis in all fleas collected from rodents, domestic animals and domestic dwellings in the current study suggests that the ectoparasites do not normally harbor the bacterium during periods of quiescence. The findings of the present study further suggest that fleas should be tested for Y. pestis DNA during the active phase of plague outbreaks for confirmation of infection and during inter-epidemic periods to confirm disease quiescence or detect infection activity.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Plague in Tanzania: an overview
    Ziwa, Michael H.; Matee, Mecky I.; Hang’ombe, Bernard M.; Lyamuya, Eligius F.; Kilonzo, Bukheti S
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Plague in Tanzania: an overview
    (2013-10) Ziwa, Michael H.; Matee, Mecky I.; Hang’ombe, Bernard M.; Lyamuya, Eligius F.; Kilonzo, Bukheti S
    Human plague remains a public health concern in Tanzania despite its quiescence in most foci for years, considering the recurrence nature of the disease. Despite the long-standing history of this problem, there have not been recent reviews of the current knowledge on plague in Tanzania. This work aimed at providing a current overview of plague in Tanzania in terms of its introduction, potential reservoirs, possible causes of plague persistence and repeated outbreaks in the country. Plague is believed to have been introduced to Tanzania from the Middle East through Uganda with the first authentication in 1886. Xenopsylla brasiliensis, X. cheopis, Dinopsyllus lypusus, and Pulex irritans are among potential vectors while Lophuromys spp, Praomys delectorum, Graphiurus murinus, Lemniscomys striatus, Mastomys natalensis, and Rattus rattus may be the potential reservoirs. Plague persistence and repeated outbreaks in Tanzania are likely to be attributable to a complexity of factors including cultural, socio-economical, environmental and biological. Minimizing or preventing people’s proximity to rodents is probably the most effective means of preventing plague outbreaks in humans in the future. In conclusion, much has been done on plague diagnosis in Tanzania. However, in order to achieve new insights into the features of plague epidemiology in the country, and to reorganize an effective control strategy, we recommend broader studies that will include the ecology of the pathogen, vectors and potential hosts, identifying the reservoirs, dynamics of infection and landscape ecology