Browsing by Author "Grace, Delia"
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Item Detection of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae in naturally infected pigs in Kamuli District, Uganda(Revue d’élevage et de médecine vétérinaire des pays tropicaux, 2018) Musewa, Angella; Roesel, Kristina; Grace, Delia; Dione, Michel; Erume, JosephSwine erysipelas is an economically significant disease affecting all stages of pork production. The biggest losses may occur in growers-finishers because of sudden death or acute septicemia. Survivors often suffer from chronic lameness, arthritis and endocarditis leading to poor body growth. The causative agent is the ubiquitous bacterium Erysipelothrix (E.) rhusiopathiae, which is also able to enter the skin of people handling infected animals and meat and cause infection. In order to show the presence of E. rhusiopathiae in pigs, serum samples from 426 randomly selected pigs were collected in four subcounties (Bugulumbya, Butansi, Kitayunjwa and Namwendwa) in Kamuli District in Uganda, as part of a multipathogen survey conducted by the International Livestock Research Institute in 2013. Subsequently, 100 samples of fresh pork were collected from all 67-pork slaughterhouses operating in the same subcounties for isolation and bacterial culture. Overall, 308/460 (67%) of the pig sera carried antibodies against E. rhusiopathiae and 45/100 (45%) of the fresh pork samples were contaminated with E. rhusiopathiae. This is the first ever report of E. rhusiopathiae in pigs and pork in Uganda.Item First Report of the Occurrence of Trichinella- Specific Antibodies in Domestic Pigs in Central and Eastern Uganda(PLoS ONE, 2016) Roesel, Kristina; Nockler, Karsten; Baumann, Maximilian P. O.; Fries, Reinhard; Dione, Michel M.; Clausen, Peter-Henning; Grace, DeliaPrevious research on trichinellosis in Africa focused on isolating Trichinella from wildlife while the role of domestic pigs has remained highly under-researched. Pig keeping in Uganda is historically recent, and evidence on zoonotic pig diseases, including infection with Trichinella species, is scarce. A cross-sectional survey on Trichinella seroprevalence in pigs was conducted in three districts in Central and Eastern Uganda from April 2013 to January 2015. Serum from a random sample of 1125 pigs from 22 villages in Eastern and Central Uganda was examined to detect immunoglobulin G (IgG) against any Trichinella spp. using a commercially available ELISA based on excretory-secretory antigen. ELISA positive samples were confirmed using Western Blot based on somatic antigen of Trichinella spiralis as recommended in previous validation studies. Diaphragm pillar muscle samples (at least 5 g each) of 499 pigs from areas with high ELISA positivity were examined using the artificial digestion method. Overall, 78 of all 1125 animals (6.9%, 95% CI: 5.6±8.6%) tested positive for antibodies against Trichinella spp. in the ELISA at significantly higher levels in Kamuli district compared to Masaka and Mukono districts. Thirty-one percent of the ELISA positive samples were confirmed IgG positive by the Western Blot leading to an overall seroprevalence of 2.1% (95% CI: 1.4±3.2%). The large proportion of ELISA positive samples that could not be confirmed using Western blot may be the result of cross-reactivity with other gastrointestinal helminth infections or unknown host-specific immune response mechanisms in local pig breeds in Uganda. Attempts to isolate muscle larvae for species determination using the artificial digestion method were unsuccessful. Due to the large number of muscle samples examined we are confident that even if pigs are infected, the larval burden in pork is too low to pose a major risk to consumers of developing trichinellosis. This was the first large systematic field investigation of Trichinella infection in domestic pigs in UgandaItem Knowledge, attitudes and practices of pork consumers in Uganda(Global Food Security, 2019) Roesela, Kristina; Ejobi, Francis; Dione, Michel; Pezo, Danilo; Ouma, Emily; Kungu, Joseph; Clausen, Peter-Henning; Grace, DeliaPig production is thriving in Uganda and the demand for pork is increasing, therefore offering potential for increased income from pig production and marketing. The consumers’ preferences determine and potentially drive this demand but are largely unknown in the context of Uganda. As part of a multi-disciplinary assessment of smallholder pig value chains we investigated these preferences in one of the four thematic subgroups with 292 smallholder pig farmers. In addition, 79 consumers in Kampala, the main pork market outlet in Uganda, were included. Using participatory methods and considering that pig keepers are also consumers, we describe drivers for and taboos around eating pork, the role of pork in peoples’ diets compared to other livestock-derived foods, important attributes when buying pork, the risk of pig feeds competing with human food as well as knowledge, attitudes and practices around pig zoonoses.Item A market scoping study for porcine cysticercosis vaccine calls for a one-health approach to sustain the control of the disease in Uganda(International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), 2019) Dione, Michel; Adeniyi Samuel, Adediran; Colston, Angie; Ouma, Emily; Lule, Peter; Grace, DeliaPig health is a critical issue in modern Uganda. Not only does the country have the largest pig population in East Africa, it also has the most rapidly growing pig population in sub-Saharan Africa and the highest per capita pork consumption in Eastern Africa (FAOSTAT, 2010). Porcine cysticercosis (PC) is a disease of pigs caused by larval cysts of the human T. solium tapeworm. Pigs are infected when they eat tapeworm eggs shed in the faeces of a human tapeworm carrier. Humans are infected when they eat tissues from pigs that contain larvae (cysticerci). These larvae establish as tapeworms in the human gut and shed eggs in human faeces. However, if humans ingest tapeworm eggs in contaminated food or water, these can establish as cysts in the brain, eye or other tissues and these can have serious consequences such as epilepsy.Item Prevalence and risk factors for gastrointestinal parasites in small-scale pig enterprises in Central and Eastern Uganda(Parasitology Research, 2017) Roesel, Kristina; Dohoo, Ian; Baumann, Maximilian; Dione, Michel; Grace, Delia; Clausen, Peter-HenningIn Eastern Africa, small-scale pig keeping has emerged as a popular activity to generate additional household income. Infections of pigs with gastrointestinal helminths can limit production output, increase production costs, and pose zoonotic risks. A cross-sectional, community-based study in three districts in Eastern and Central Uganda examined the prevalence of gastrointestinal helminthes and associated risk factors in 932 randomly sampled pigs. Using the combined sedimentation-flotation method, 61.4 % (58.2–64.5 %, 95 % confidence interval [CI]) tested positive for one or more gastrointestinal helminths, namely, strongyles (57.1 %, 95 % CI), Metastrongylus spp. (7.6 %, 95 % CI), Ascaris suum (5.9 %, 95 % CI), Strongyloides ransomi (4.2 %, 95 % CI), and Trichuris suis (3.4 %, 95 % CI). Coccidia oocysts were found in 40.7 % of all pigs sampled (37.5–44.0 %, 95 % CI). Significant differences across the three districts were observed for the presence of A. suum (p < 0.001), Metastrongylus spp. (p = 0.001), S. ransomi (p = 0.002), and coccidia oocysts (p = 0.05). All animals tested negative for Fasciola spp. and Balantidium coli. Thirty-five variables were included in univariable analyses with helminth infection as the outcome of interest. A causal model was generated to identify relationships among the potential predictors, and consequently, seven variables with p ≤ 0.15 were included in a multivariable analysis for helminth infection. The final regression models showed that routine management factors had a greater impact on the prevalence of infection than regular, preventive medical treatment or the level of confinement. Factors that negatively correlated with gastrointestinal infection were the routine removal of manure and litter from pig pens (p ≤ 0.05, odds ratio [OR] = 0.667) and the routine use of disinfectants (p ≤ 0.05, OR = 0.548).Item A review of the food safety architecture in the East African Community: Animal-source foods, fruits and vegetables(ILRI, 2021) Kang’ethe, Erastus K.; Mutua, Florence; Roesel, Kristina; Ntawubizi, Martin; Kankya, Clovice; Niragira, Sanctus; Kilima, Beatrice; Gathura, Peter; Kuai Kuorwel, Kuorwel; Kiri, Andrew; Grace, DeliaIn the 1996 World Food Summit, governments reaffirmed the right of everyone to have access to safe and nutritious food, consistent with the right to adequate food and the fundamental right of everyone to be free from hunger. They pledged to work together and eradicate hunger. ‘Zero hunger’ is one of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Safe food is important and should be considered in attempts to ensure a world that has adequate food and is hunger free. Globally, unsafe food is estimated to cause over 600 million cases of illness and 420,000 deaths annually, resulting in a burden of 33 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Attention given to food safety is increasing, due to the evidence on the health and economic burden of foodborne diseases (FBD), and acceleration of drivers causing unsafe food. Governments are mandated to ensure available food is safe for human consumption. They can do this by developing and/or strengthening national food control systems (NFCS). Assessing NFCS in any country is one way to evaluate the state of food safety in the country. The findings can be used to define areas that need to be improved for better protection of consumers. Food safety experts from each of the six partner states in the East African Community (EAC), namely Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda, were trained on food safety, through two workshops that ILRI organized in 2019. Although the training focused on risk assessment, participants were also introduced to the concept of a NFCS, its components, and usefulness in ensuring good health, protecting consumers, and for economic development (ILRI 2019). As a follow up to the training, participants from each country, led by a team leader, were expected to, working as a team, assess the food safety situation in their country. The reports from countries were reviewed and key data extracted and summarized to give this report, which combines information on EAC countries. The reviews focused on safety of two value chains, which are most often implicated in FBD and are essential for nutrition in the EAC, namely animalsource foods (ASF) and fruits and vegetables (FV). Components of NFCS include food law and regulation, food control management, inspection, laboratories, and information, education, communication and training (IECT).Item Risk factors, perceptions and practices associated with Taenia solium cysticercosis and its control in the smallholder pig production systems in Uganda: a cross-sectional survey(BMC infectious diseases, 2017) Kungu, Joseph M.; Dione, Michel M.; Ejobi, Francis; Ocaido, Michael; Grace, DeliaPrevalence studies report Taenia solium cysticercosis in pig and human populations in Uganda. However, the factors influencing occurrence in smallholder pig production systems are not well documented and little is known about farmers’ perceptions of T. solium cysticercosis or farmer practices that could reduce transmission. Methods: To determine the risk factors, perceptions and practices regarding T. solium cysticercosis, a household survey using a semi-structured questionnaire was conducted in 1185 households in the rural and urban pig production systems in Masaka, Mukono and Kamuli Districts. Logistic regression was used to measure associations of risk factors with infection. Performance scores were calculated to summarise perceptions and practices of farmers regarding taeniosis, human cysticercosis and porcine cysticercosis as well as farmer behavior related to control or breaking transmission. Results: Pig breed type, farmers’ knowledge about transmission, sources of water used, and pig keeping homes where family members were unable to use the latrine were all significantly associated with T. solium cysticercosis in pigs. Performance scores indicated that farmers were more aware of taeniosis (63.0%; 95% Confidence Interval 60.0-65.8) than human or porcine cysticercosis; only three farmers (0.3%, 95% CI = 0.1–0.8) had knowledge on all three conditions. More farmers reported that they dewormed pigs (94.1%) than reported deworming themselves and their family members (62.0%). Albendazole was the most commonly used drug for deworming both pigs and humans (85.0 and 81.5% respectively). Just over half (54.6%) of the farmers interviewed had clean water near the latrines for washing hands. Of these, only 41.9% used water with soap to wash hands after latrine use. Conclusion: Factors that significantly influenced occurrence of T. solium cysticercosis in pigs were identified. Farmers had some knowledge about the disease but did not link taeniosis, human cysticercosis, and porcine cysticercosis. Therefore, there is need to employ strategies that raise awareness and interrupt transmission.Item Sero-prevalence of Taenia Solium cysticercosis in rural and urbansmallholder pig production settings in Uganda(Acta tropica, 2017) Kungu, Joseph M.; Dione, Michel M.; Ejobi, Francis; Harrison, Leslie J.S.; Poole, Jane; Pezo, Danilo; Grace, DeliaThe pork tapeworm, Taenia solium, is prevalent in Uganda although the prevalence has not been deter-mined in all areas of the country. A cross-sectional study, to determine the sero-prevalence of the parasitein pigs kept under rural and urban production settings, was carried out in three Ugandan districts, Masaka, Mukono and Kamuli. Serum samples from 1185 pigs were tested for the presence of T. solium cysticer-cosis antigen using the HP10 antigen-ELISA (Ag-ELISA) and the ApDia Ag-ELISA assays. Using parallel interpretation of the two tests showed lower levels of observed prevalence of T. solium in rural pro-duction settings (10.8%) compared to urban (17.1%). Additionally, Maximum Likelihood Estimation forevaluating assays in the absence of a gold standard, using TAGS on the R platform, estimated the true sero-prevalence to be lower in rural production setting, 0.0% [0.0–3.2%; 95% confidence interval (CI)] thanin urban production setting, 12.3% (4.2–77.5% CI). When the sensitivity/specificity (Se/Sp) of the assays were estimated, assuming conditional independence of the tests, HP10 Ag-ELISA was more sensitive and specific [(Se = 53.9%; 10.1–100% CI), (Sp = 97.0%; 95.9-100% CI)] than the ApDia assay [(Se = 20.2%;1.5–47.7% CI), (Sp = 92.2%; 90.5–93.9% CI)]. Subject to parasitological verification, these results indicate there may be a need to implement appropriate control measures for T. solium in the study areas.Item Serological and molecular investigation for brucellosis in swine in selected districts of Uganda(Tropical Animal Health and Production, 2016) Erume, Joseph; Roesel, Kristina; Dione, Michel M.; Ejobi, Francis; Mboowa, Gerald; Kungu, Joseph M.; Akol, Joyce; Pezo, Danilo; El-Adawy, Hosny; Melzer, Falk; Elschner, Mandy; Neubauer, Heinrich; Grace, DeliaBrucellosis is a notifiable zoonotic disease affecting livestock, humans, and wildlife in Uganda. Pigs can be infected with human pathogenic Brucella suis biovars 1 and 3 and can be a significant source of brucellosis for humans. Uganda has a rapidly growing pig population, and the pork consumption per capita is the highest in East Africa. The objective of this work was to determine the seroprevalence of brucellosis in Ugandan pigs. A cross-sectional serosurvey of pigs was conducted in three of the major pig-keeping districts in Uganda (Masaka (n= 381 samples), Mukono (n = 398), and Kamuli (n = 414)). In addition, pigs originating from these districts were sampled in the major pig abattoir in Kampala (n =472). In total, 1665 serum samples were investigated by serological and molecular tests. Only three putative brucellosis-positive samples were detected serologically using indirect ELISA. These sera were found negative for Brucella antibodies by CFT; however, two had antibodies against Yersinia enterocolitica as determined by SAT. Presence of antibodies against Yersiniae was confirmed by Y. enterocolitica antibody-specific ELISA. The two Yersiniae ELISA-positive samples were brucellosis negative using real-time PCR. We tested additional 142 sera from the 1665 samples with real-time PCR. All tested negative. Under this type of production system, we expect a maximum B. suis prevalence of less than 1 % at 95 % confidence level, and therefore, the risk of acquiring brucellosis from the pigs or their products is negligible. However, pigs may harbor the zoonotic Y. enterocolitica. This is the first study to investigate the occurrence of brucellosis in pigs in Uganda and the first study to report Y. enterocolitica antibodies in swine in Uganda.