Browsing by Author "Kasagama, Elizabeth"

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    Laboratory efficacy of Bactivec ® and Griselesf ® biolarvicides used for large-scale larviciding in Tanzania
    (Frontiers, 2025-07-21) Tegemeo, Gavana; Kailembo, Denis; Machange, Jane; Venance Michael; Swai, Kyeba; Olukayode, Odufuwa; Tenywa, Frank; Mwalimu, Charles; Jubilate Bernard; Samwel Lazaro; Best Yoram; Kajange, Stella; Kasagama, Elizabeth; Kisoka, Noela; Mbuba, Emmanuel; Chaki, Prosper; Lengeler, Christian; Moore, Sarah
    From 2022 to 2024, a project piloting large-scale larviciding in Tanzania was implemented in Tanga Region. The project used in-country manufactured biolarvicides, The study was conducted at Ifakara Health Institute (IHI) in Tanzania. Laboratory-based dose–response experiments were performed using Bactivec® and Griselesf® against laboratory-reared early third instar larvae of Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto, Anopheles arabiensis, Anopheles funestus, Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus. Larvae were exposed to various concentrations of Bactivec® and Griselesf®. VectoBac® served as a positive control, and distilled water as a negative control. Twelve replicates per concentration, with 25 larvae per replicate, were tested. Larval mortality was recorded at 24 and 48 hours after exposure to Bactivec® and Griselesf®, respectively. Probit regression analysis was used to determine the lethal concentration (LC50 and LC90) values.Bactivec® and Griselesf®. This study independently assessed the efficacy of both biolarvicide products to ensure that they represented a good option for scaling up.
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    Molecular detection of Coxiella burnetii infection in small mammals from Moshi Rural and Urban Districts, northern Tanzania.
    (John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 2020-12-05) Theonest, Ndyetabura; Carter, Ryan; Kasagama, Elizabeth; Keyyu, Julius; Tarimo, Rigobert; Thomas, Kate; Wheelhouse, Nick; Maro, Venance; Haydon, Daniel; Buza, Joram; Allan, Kathryn; Halliday, Jo
    Coxiella burnetii is an obligate intracellular bacterium that causes Q fever, a zoonotic disease of public health importance. In northern Tanzania, Q fever is a known cause of human febrile illness, but little is known about its distribution in animal hosts. We used a quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) targeting the insertion element IS1111 to determine the presence and prevalence of C. burnetii infections in small mammals trapped in 12 villages around Moshi Rural and Moshi Urban Districts, northern Tanzania. A total of 382 trapped small mammals of seven species were included in the study; Rattus rattus (n = 317), Mus musculus (n = 44), Mastomys natalensis (n = 8), Acomys wilson (n = 6), Mus minutoides (n = 3), Paraxerus flavovottis (n = 3) and Atelerix albiventris (n = 1). Overall, 12 (3.1%) of 382 (95% CI: 1.6-5.4) small mammal spleens were positive for C. burnetii DNA. Coxiella burnetii DNA was detected in five of seven of the small mammal species trapped; R. rattus (n = 7), M. musculus (n = 1), A. wilson (n = 2), P. flavovottis (n = 1) and A. albiventris (n = 1). Eleven (91.7%) of twelve (95% CI: 61.5-99.8) C. burnetii DNA positive small mammals were trapped within Moshi Urban District. These findings demonstrate that small mammals in Moshi, northern Tanzania are hosts of C. burnetii and may act as a source of C. burnetii infection to humans and other animals. This detection of C. burnetii infections in small mammals should motivate further studies into the contribution of small mammals to the transmission of C. burnetii to humans and animals in this region.