Prevalence of Ticks Infesting Dairy Cattle and the Pathogens They Harbour in Smallholder Farms in Peri-Urban Areas of Nairobi, Kenya

This study aimed at determining the tick species infesting dairy cattle in Nairobi, Kenya, and the pathogens they harbour. While ticks are well-known vectors of major bacterial pathogens of both veterinary importance and public health importance, few studies have investigated the range of the tick species and the associated pathogens, especially present in unique dairy production systems, which compromise animal welfare, such as those in peri-urban areas. A cross-sectional study was undertaken involving 314 randomly selected dairy cattle in 109 smallholder farms. Each animal was examined for attached ticks followed by morphological tick identification at the species level. Genomic DNA was extracted from each of the ticks, and 16S rDNA gene was amplified for pathogen identification. Sequencing of the amplicons and subsequent BLASTn analysis, multiple sequence alignment, and phylogenetic reconstruction were performed to confirm the species of the pathogens. Sixty-six (21.0%) of the cattle examined had ticks. A total of 94 adult ticks were found on the cattle, and of these, 63 (67.0%), 18 (19.1%), and 13 (13.8%) were in the genera Rhipicephalus, Amblyomma, and Hyalomma, respectively. Twelve tick species in Rhipicephalus genus and two in Amblyomma and Hyalomma genera were identified. Although Rh. decoloratus was the most prevalent tick (24.5% (23/94)), the emerging Rh. microplus (6.4% (6/94)) was also identified. The DNA of Rickettsia was detected in the ticks, with Rickettsia conorii in H. rufipes and A. variegatum, and Rickettsia aeschlimannii in Rh. microplus and H. rufipes, while Ehrlichia ruminantium and E. canis were in A. variegatum. In conclusion, the study reported a wide range of tick species present in the study area including Rhipicephalus microplus, which is an emerging tick species in parts of Kenya. The ticks harboured DNA of Rickettsia and Ehrlichia, highlighting possible animal and human health concerns. Hence, effective tick control strategies remain paramount to prevent potential diseases associated with the harboured pathogens.

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Molecular Characterization of Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens in Cattle from Khartoum State and East Darfur State, Sudan

Pathogens ◽

10.3390/pathogens10050580 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (5) ◽

pp. 580

Author(s):

Ehab Mossaad ◽

Alex Gaithuma ◽

Yassir O. Mohamed ◽

Keisuke Suganuma ◽

Rika Umemiya-Shirafuji ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tick Species ◽

Control Strategies ◽

Wide Distribution ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Molecular Techniques ◽

Babesia Bigemina ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Adult Cattle ◽

Ehrlichia Ruminantium ◽

Cattle Ticks

Ticks transmit many pathogens with public health and veterinary importance. Despite the wide distribution of tick-borne pathogens in Sudan, the information on the tick–pathogen relationship needs to be updated, particularly using modern molecular techniques. This cross-sectional study, conducted between September and November 2019, used morphology, PCR, and sequencing to confirm the identity of adult cattle ticks (male and female; n = 536) from Khartoum State (n = 417) and East Darfur State (n = 119). Moreover, the presence of Theileria annulata, Babesia bigemina, B. bovis, Anaplasma marginale, and Ehrlichia ruminantium was detected and confirmed in each tick using species-specific PCR or nested PCR and sequencing. The most economically important tick genera, Rhipicephalus, Hyalomma, and Amblyomma, were prevalent in the study area, and 13 different tick species were identified. The most prevalent tick species were Rhipicephalusevertsi evertsi (34.3%) and Hyalomma anatolicum (57.3%) in Khartoum State, and Rhipicephalus annulatus (27%), Rhipicephalus decoloratus (25%), and Hyalomma rufipes (29%) in East Darfur State. We detected all five pathogens in both states. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report the presence of E. ruminantium, its vector Amblyomma variegatum, and B. bovis in Khartoum State. Further, this is the first report on most tick and pathogen species identified in East Darfur State. Our findings indicate the migration of some tick and pathogen species beyond their distribution areas in the country, and this consideration is necessary to develop future control strategies.

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↵Assessment on Milk Yield and Reproductive Performances of Crossbred Dairy Cattle in Selected Dairy Production Systems of Central Highlands of Ethiopia

Asian Journal of Dairy and Food Research ◽

10.18805/ajdfr.dr-207 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Kiros Abebe ◽

Tilaye Demissie

Keyword(s):

Dairy Cattle ◽

Milk Yield ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Production Systems ◽

Dairy Farm ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Age At First Calving ◽

Dairy Heifers ◽

Crossbred Dairy Cattle ◽

Central Highlands

Background: Productive and reproductive performances are the most important parameters in the Ehiopian dairy sector. The objective of the current study was to assess milk yield, reproductive performances of crossbred dairy cattle and occurrence of reproductive health problems and veterinary services provider/s. Methods: A cross-sectional study using semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect information from 160 randomly selected dairy farm owners found in urban and peri-urban areas of Assela, Bishoftu, Holetta and Sululta of the central highlands of Ethiopia. Result: The higher average daily milk yields were 11.7 and 11.2 litres in urban and peri-urban Bishoftu. The average age at first service of crossbred dairy heifers was 18.8 months in urban and 19.1 months in peri-urban Bishoftu, respectively. The average age at first calving of crossbred dairy heifers was 27.8 months in urban Bishoftu and 28.1 months in peri-urban Bishoftu areas. The longest average age at first service (29.3 months) and age at first calving (38.3 months) were in peri-urban Assela. The number of services per conception was 1.4 in urban Assela and 1.3 in peri-urban Assela and these were shorter than the 1.65 from urban Bishoftu and the 1.85 of peri-urban Bishoftu areas. The average 168.0 days calving to conception interval from peri-urban Assela was the longest calving to conception interval in this study. The average calving intervals 14.9 and 13.9 months of peri-urban Assela and Sululta were relatively longer than the respective urban areas.

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Rural–Urban Differences in Dietary Behavior and Obesity: Results of the Riskesdas Study in 10–18-Year-Old Indonesian Children and Adolescents

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu11112813 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (11) ◽

pp. 2813 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Esti Nurwanti ◽

Hamam Hadi ◽

Jung-Su Chang ◽

Jane C.-J. Chao ◽

Bunga Astria Paramashanti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Children And Adolescents ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Dietary Behavior ◽

Study Data ◽

Overweight And Obesity ◽

Sedentary Activity ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Wide Range ◽

Urban And Rural Areas

Obesity has become a significant problem for developing countries, including Indonesia. High duration of sedentary activity and high intake of unhealthy foods were associated with high risk of overweight and obesity. The objective of this study was to compare the distributions of sedentary activity and dietary behavior with overweight/obesity risks between urban and rural areas among children and adolescents aged 10–18 years in Indonesia. This is a cross-sectional study. Data from a national survey in 33 Indonesian provinces (Basic Health Research /Riskesdas 2013) were analyzed. Multiple logistic regression models were used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) adjusted with all variables, such as age, gender, residency, education level, physical activity, and food intake. An urban–rural residence difference was found in the factors related to obesity. Daily caffeinated soft drinks and energy drinks consumption (OR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.01–1.23) were related to risk of overweight and obesity in urban areas. Daily grilled foods (OR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.22–1.42) and salty food (OR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.04–1.15) consumption were significantly associated with obesity in rural areas but not in urban areas. Furthermore, sedentary activity was correlated with overweight and obesity among those who lived in urban and rural areas. Our findings suggest that education, environmental, and policy interventions may need to specifically target urban settings, where access is high to a wide range of processed and traditional high-sugar, high-fat snack foods and beverages.

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Bromatological Analysis of the Fodder Marketed in the Peri-Urban Areas of Bujumbura (Burundi): Towards Spontaneous Fodder Conservation by Transformation into Silage

10.5772/intechopen.98217 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Joseph Butore ◽

Daniel Sindaye ◽

Mathias Hitimana ◽

Jacques Nkengurutse ◽

Tatien Masharabu

Keyword(s):

Chemical Composition ◽

Dairy Cattle ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Nutritional Quality ◽

Nutritional Value ◽

Major Elements ◽

Environmental Determinants ◽

Field Investigations ◽

Wide Range ◽

Forage Species

Peri-urban areas of Bujumbura host a significant number of dairy cattle, which consequently ensure a substantial production of milk consumed in the Burundian capital. The presence of these cows in peri-urban areas has led to the emergence of an atypical market for spontaneous forage species. The present study seeks to determine the food and nutritional value of this fodder. A test on its conservation by transformation into silage was also carried out. Botanical field investigations and plant samples collection were carried out under the guidance of fodders suppliers. Based on the bromatological value deficiency thresholds for cattle, the results showed that the content of digestible nitrogenous matter and major elements (Ca, P, K, and Mg) in the forage is within acceptable limits. The final product obtained after fermentation, based on its color, its smell, and its consistency, is indeed silage. The chemical composition of fermented fodder showed that the nutritional quality has remained almost the same. Further research on digestibility of this forage is necessary. A study of the environmental determinants of spontaneous forage distribution at multiple sites and over a wide range of parameters may contribute to a better understanding of the importance of this fodder particularly in times of fodder deficit.

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Biscogniauxia (Hypoxylon) Canker or Dieback in Trees

EDIS ◽

10.32473/edis-fr407-2017 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2017 (6) ◽

Author(s):

Claudia Paez ◽

Jason A. Smith

Keyword(s):

Water Stress ◽

Tree Species ◽

Soil Compaction ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Root Disease ◽

Poor Health ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Opportunistic Pathogens ◽

Wide Range ◽

Quercus Spp

Biscogniauxia canker or dieback (formerly called Hypoxylon canker or dieback) is a common contributor to poor health and decay in a wide range of tree species (Balbalian & Henn 2014). This disease is caused by several species of fungi in the genus Biscogniauxia (formerly Hypoxylon). B. atropunctata or B. mediterranea are usually the species found on Quercus spp. and other hosts in Florida, affecting trees growing in many different habitats, such as forests, parks, green spaces and urban areas (McBride & Appel, 2009). Typically, species of Biscogniauxia are opportunistic pathogens that do not affect healthy and vigorous trees; some species are more virulent than others. However, once they infect trees under stress (water stress, root disease, soil compaction, construction damage etc.) they can quickly colonize the host. Once a tree is infected and fruiting structures of the fungus are evident, the tree is not likely to survive especially if the infection is in the tree's trunk (Anderson et al., 1995).

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Comparative Study on Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase of Plasmodium Species by Using in silico Method

Scientific Research Journal ◽

10.24191/srj.v9i1.9411 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 1

Author(s):

Mohd Fakharul Zaman Raja Yahya ◽

Hasidah Mohd Sidek

Keyword(s):

Amino Acid ◽

In Silico ◽

Nuclear Export ◽

Nuclear Export Signal ◽

Plasmodium Species ◽

Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase ◽

Multiple Sequence ◽

Wide Range ◽

Mitogen Activated Protein ◽

Human Plasmodium

Malaria parasites, Plasmodium can infect a wide range of hosts including humans and rodents. There are two copies of mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in Plasmodium, namely MAPK1 and MAPK2. The MAPKs have been studied extensively in the human Plasmodium, P. falciparum. However, the MAPKs from other Plasmodium species have not been characterized and it is therefore the premise of presented study to characterize the MAPKs from other Plasmodium species-P. vivax, P. knowlesi, P. berghei, P. chabaudi and P.yoelli using a series of publicly available bioinformatic tools. In silico data indicates that all Plasmodium MAPKs are nuclear-localized and contain both a nuclear localization signal (NLS) and a Leucine-rich nuclear export signal (NES). The activation motifs of TDY and TSH were found to be fully conserved in Plasmodium MAPK1 and MAPK2, respectively. The detailed manual inspection of a multiple sequence alignment (MSA) construct revealed a total of 17 amino acid stack patterns comprising of different amino acids present in MAPKJ and MAPK2 respectively, with respect to rodent and human Plasmodia. It is proposed that these amino acid stack patterns may be useful in explaining the disparity between rodent and human Plasmodium MAPKs.

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Comparative Study on Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase of Plasmodium Species by Using In silico Method

Scientific Research Journal ◽

10.24191/srj.v9i1.5052 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 1

Author(s):

Mohd Fakharul Zaman Raja Yahya ◽

Hasidah Mohd Sidek

Keyword(s):

Amino Acid ◽

In Silico ◽

Nuclear Export ◽

Nuclear Export Signal ◽

Plasmodium Species ◽

Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase ◽

Multiple Sequence ◽

Bioinformatic Tools ◽

Wide Range ◽

Human Plasmodium

Malaria parasites, Plasmodium can infect a wide range ofhosts including humans and rodents. There are two copies ofmitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in Plasmodium, namely MAPK1 and MAPK2. The MAPKs have been studied extensively in the human Plasmodium, P. falciparum. However, the MAPKs from other Plasmodium species have not been characterized and it is therefore the premise ofpresented study to characterize the MAPKs from other Plasmodium species-P. vivax, P. knowlesi, P. berghei, P. chabaudi and P.yoelli using a series ofpublicly available bioinformatic tools. In silico data indicates that all Plasmodium MAPKs are nuclear-localizedandcontain both a nuclear localization signal (NLS) anda Leucine-rich nuclear export signal (NES). The activation motifs ofTDYand TSH werefound to befully conserved in Plasmodium MAPK1 and MAPK2, respectively. The detailed manual inspection ofa multiple sequence alignment (MSA) construct revealed a total of 17 amino acid stack patterns comprising ofdifferent amino acids present in MAPK1 and MAPK2 respectively, with respect to rodent and human Plasmodia. 1t is proposed that these amino acid stack patterns may be useful in explaining the disparity between rodent and human Plasmodium MAPKs.

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A Cross Sectional Survey of Chicken Astroviruses Antibody in Broiler and Sonali (Cross-Bred) Chickens in Selected Areas in Bangladesh

Macedonian Veterinary Review ◽

10.2478/macvetrev-2020-0016 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 43 (1) ◽

pp. 75-80

Author(s):

Md Zulfekar Ali ◽

Mohammad Moktader Moula ◽

Zafar Ahmed Bhuiyan ◽

Muhammad Tariq Javed

Keyword(s):

Age Groups ◽

Winter Season ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Blood Samples ◽

Elisa Kit ◽

Published Report ◽

Poultry Birds ◽

Wide Range ◽

Group B

AbstractChicken astroviruses (CAstV) are enteric viruses of poultry causing gastroenteritis, malabsorption, gout and white chick disease commonly known as runting-stunting syndrome (RSS). It can affect the wide range of poultry birds, especially chicken, turkey and duck worldwide. To our best knowledge there is no published report on presence of antibodies against CAstV in Bangladesh. Therefore, the study aimed to detect the presence of CAstV antibodies in broilers and sonali chickens (a cross-bread) in Bangladesh through a cross-sectional survey. A total of 454 blood samples from 66 flocks of broiler (n=343) and sonali chickens (n=111) of different ages were obtained during 2017 from four districts. The birds were healthy but were not vaccinated against CAstV. The samples were tested for specific antibodies against CAstV Group B by using commercially available ELISA kit. Overall, 16.74% (76/454) samples and 34.84% (23/66) flocks were positive for CAstV antibodies. The seroprevalence of CAstV was significantly (p=0.001) higher in sonali chickens (36.96%) than broiler (10.20%), while it was significantly higher (p=0.001) in birds of Bogura district (36.94%) than the other three districts. Regarding the age groups, seroprevalence was insignificantly (p=0.192) higher in sonali chicken before laying age (45%) than during laying age (27.45%). Regarding the seasons, CAstV infection was prevalent significantly (p=0.001) higher in winter season. Thus, the present study indicated the presence of CAstV in poultry in Bangladesh, so further studies are required to find out the magnitude of the problem in the country.

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URBAN FACADE GEOMETRY ON OUTDOOR COMFORT CONDITIONS: A REVIEW

INDONESIAN JOURNAL OF URBAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY ◽

10.25105/urbanenvirotech.v4i1.7151 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 45

Author(s):

Elahe Mirabi ◽

Nasrollahi Nazanin

Keyword(s):

Thermal Comfort ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Natural Ventilation ◽

Flow Behavior ◽

Air Flow ◽

Urban Geometry ◽

Wide Range ◽

Low Energy Buildings ◽

Outdoor Comfort ◽

Solar Access

Designing urban facades is considered as a major factor influencing issues such as natural ventilation of buildings and urban areas, radiations in the urban canyon for designing low-energy buildings, cooling demand for buildings in urban area, and thermal comfort in urban streets. However, so far, most studies on urban topics have been focused on flat facades without details of urban layouts. Hence, the effect of urban facades with details such as the balcony and corbelling on thermal comfort conditions and air flow behavior are discussed in this literature review. Aim: This study was carried out to investigate the effective factors of urban facades, including the effects of building configuration, geometry and urban canyon’s orientation. Methodology and Results: According to the results, the air flow behavior is affected by a wide range of factors such as wind conditions, urban geometry and wind direction. Urban façade geometry can change outdoor air flow pattern, thermal comfort and solar access. Conclusion, significance and impact study: In particular, the geometry of the facade, such as indentation and protrusion, has a significant effect on the air flow and thermal behavior in urban facades and can enhance outdoor comfort conditions. Also, Alternation in façade geometry can affect pedestrians' comfort and buildings energy demands.

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