Intrinsic factors, adrenal gland morphology, and disease burden in captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) in South Africa

Abstract Background Comorbidities are strong predictors of current and future healthcare needs and costs; however, comorbidities are not evenly distributed geographically. A growing need has emerged for comorbidity surveillance that can inform decision-making. Comorbidity-derived risk scores are increasingly being used as valuable measures of individual health to describe and explain disease burden in populations. Methods This study assessed the geographical distribution of comorbidity and its associated financial implications among commercially insured individuals in South Africa (SA). A retrospective, cross-sectional analysis was performed comparing the geographical distribution of comorbidities for 2.6 million commercially insured individuals over 2016–2017, stratified by geographical districts in SA. We applied the Johns Hopkins ACG® System across the insurance claims data of a large health plan administrator in SA to measure comorbidity as a risk score for each individual. We aggregated individual risk scores to determine the average risk score per district, also known as the comorbidity index (CMI), to describe the overall disease burden of each district. Results We observed consistently high CMI scores in districts of the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal provinces for all population groups before and after age adjustment. Some areas exhibited almost 30% higher healthcare utilization after age adjustment. Districts in the Northern Cape and Limpopo provinces had the lowest CMI scores with 40% lower than expected healthcare utilization in some areas after age adjustment. Conclusions Our results show underlying disparities in CMI at national, provincial, and district levels. Use of geo-level CMI scores, along with other social data affecting health outcomes, can enable public health departments to improve the management of disease burdens locally and nationally. Our results could also improve the identification of underserved individuals, hence bridging the gap between public health and population health management efforts.

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Influenza disease burden among potential target risk groups for immunization in South Africa, 2013–2015

Vaccine ◽

10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.04.045 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 38 (27) ◽

pp. 4288-4297 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Stefano Tempia ◽

Sibongile Walaza ◽

Jocelyn Moyes ◽

Meredith L. McMorrow ◽

Adam L. Cohen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Disease Burden ◽

Risk Groups ◽

Potential Target

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Growth rates and energy intake of hand-reared cheetah cubs (Acinonyx jubatus) in South Africa

Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition ◽

10.1111/j.1439-0396.2011.01133.x ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 96 (2) ◽

pp. 182-190 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

K. M. Bell ◽

S. M. Rutherfurd ◽

R. H. Morton

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Energy Intake ◽

Growth Rates ◽

Acinonyx Jubatus

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Decline in syphilis seroprevalence among females of reproductive age in Northern Cape Province, South Africa, 2003–2012: utility of laboratory-based information

International Journal of STD & AIDS ◽

10.1177/0956462416636727 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 28 (6) ◽

pp. 564-572 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Ngormbu J Ballah ◽

Lazarus R Kuonza ◽

Gloria De Gita ◽

Alfred Musekiwa ◽

Seymour Williams ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Disease Burden ◽

National Laboratory ◽

Age Groups ◽

Prevalence Ratio ◽

Reproductive Age ◽

Surveillance Systems ◽

Laboratory Service ◽

Northern Cape ◽

Prevalence Ratios

Strengthening current surveillance systems for syphilis is important to track and monitor disease burden. We used routinely collected laboratory information to generate surveillance estimates for syphilis trends among women of reproductive age (12–49 years) in the Northern Cape Province, a high syphilis burden region (2003 [8.6%] to 2011 [3.8%]) in South Africa. We extracted records meeting inclusion criteria from the National Health Laboratory Service electronic database for the period 2003–2012. A total of 286,024 women were included in the analysis. Syphilis seropositivity decreased between 2003 (5.7%) and 2012 (1.8%); p trend = 0.001, which was largely consistent with findings reported in the annual national syphilis and HIV survey from 2003 (8.6%) to 2011 (3.8%). Annually for the period from 2003 to 2012 there was an approximate 14% reduction in the prevalence ratio of syphilis seroprevalence (PR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.85–0.87, p < 0.001). Three of five districts had significant decreases in syphilis seropositivity over this period. There were also declines in prevalence ratios for syphilis seropositivity for the various age groups for the period. This study shows that the national laboratory database in South Africa can be used as a complimentary surveillance tool to describe and understand trends in syphilis seroprevalence in South Africa.

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Stakeholder views on the drivers and inhibitors of performance of outsourced information technology employees

European Business Review ◽

10.1108/ebr-02-2017-0029 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 30 (4) ◽

pp. 446-469

Author(s):

Olebogeng Glad Dibetso ◽

Margaret Mary Sutherland ◽

Caren Brenda Scheepers

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Information Technology ◽

Leadership Development ◽

Second Phase ◽

It Industry ◽

Content Type ◽

Intrinsic Factors ◽

Inhibiting Factors ◽

Key Drivers ◽

Job Role

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to empirically quantify the factors that are perceived to drive or inhibit performance of information technology (IT) outsourced employees from a range of information technology outsourcing (ITO) stakeholders in South Africa.Design/methodology/approachThe first phase was a qualitative study on 19 stakeholders focussed on the development of the constructs. The second phase was quantitative, with a sample of 116 ITO stakeholders of the largest IT company in South Africa.FindingsThe study revealed that the ITO stakeholders had misaligned perceptions on inhibitors and somewhat congruent perceptions with regards to drivers of performance. Managers and poor performers’ perceptions of inhibiting factors of performance were significantly different. The empirical evidence showed that the key drivers of performance were intrinsic factors and leadership, whilst the inhibiting factors were mainly related to poor leadership.Research limitations/implicationsThe major limitation was that the population was represented by one large organisation in the South African IT industry and its clients, thereby excluding the rest of the IT industry participants, specifically the medium and small IT companies. The quota sample resulted in a non-probability study, and thus, the results of this study may not necessarily be generalised to other populations. This study’s findings on differences between good and poor performers must be investigated in other industries.Practical implicationsFor outsourced employees to perform optimally, some key intrinsic factors must be fulfilled. Passion and pride, aligned to a meaningful job role, will unleash outstanding performance. Organisations need to ensure that there is regular feedback to managers on their performance and subsequent leadership development. Alignment of managers and poor performers’ perceptions on drivers and inhibitors could improve performance.Social implicationsThese findings demonstrate the large gap in perceptions about the key drivers and inhibiters of performance.Originality/valueThe study reveals that top performers tend to have higher order and intrinsic motivators, compared to poor performers, who have a mixture of extrinsic and intrinsic needs, and managers have a misaligned expectation of extrinsic motivators.

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An Assessment of the Hospital Disease Burden and the Facilities for the In-hospital Care of Trauma in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

World Journal of Surgery ◽

10.1007/s00268-012-1889-1 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 37 (7) ◽

pp. 1550-1561 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Timothy C. Hardcastle ◽

Candice Samuels ◽

David J. Muckart

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Hospital Care ◽

Disease Burden ◽

Kwazulu Natal

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Isolation ofBartonella henselae, Bartonella koehleraesubsp.koehlerae, Bartonella koehleraesubsp.bothieriand a new subspecies ofB. koehleraefrom free-ranging lions (Panthera leo) from South Africa, cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) from Namibia and captive cheetahs from California

Epidemiology and Infection ◽

10.1017/s0950268816001394 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 144 (15) ◽

pp. 3237-3243 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

S. MOLIA ◽

R. W. KASTEN ◽

M. J. STUCKEY ◽

H. J. BOULOUIS ◽

J. ALLEN ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Lynx Rufus ◽

Panthera Leo ◽

Emerging Pathogens ◽

Acinonyx Jubatus ◽

Blood Samples ◽

New Subspecies ◽

Felis Concolor ◽

Vector Borne ◽

Free Ranging

SUMMARYBartonellae are blood- and vector-borne Gram-negative bacteria, recognized as emerging pathogens. Whole-blood samples were collected from 58 free-ranging lions (Panthera leo) in South Africa and 17 cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) from Namibia. Blood samples were also collected from 11 cheetahs (more than once for some of them) at the San Diego Wildlife Safari Park. Bacteria were isolated from the blood of three (5%) lions, one (6%) Namibian cheetah and eight (73%) cheetahs from California. The lionBartonellaisolates were identified asB. henselae(two isolates) andB. koehleraesubsp.koehlerae. The Namibian cheetah strain was close but distinct from isolates from North American wild felids and clustered betweenB. henselaeandB. koehlerae. It should be considered as a new subspecies ofB. koehlerae. All the Californian semi-captive cheetah isolates were different fromB. henselaeorB. koehleraesubsp.koehleraeand from the Namibian cheetah isolate. They were also distinct from the strains isolated from Californian mountain lions (Felis concolor) and clustered with strains ofB. koehleraesubsp.bothieriisolated from free-ranging bobcats (Lynx rufus) in California. Therefore, it is likely that these captive cheetahs became infected by an indigenous strain for which bobcats are the natural reservoir.

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