Browsing by Author "Karuhize Byarugaba, Denis"

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    The epidemiology of rotavirus disease in under-five-year-old children hospitalized with acute diarrhea in central Uganda, 2012-2013
    (Archives of virology, 2016) Bwogi, Josephine; Malamba, Samuel; Kigozi, Brian; Namuwulya, Prossy; Tushabe, Phionah; Kiguli, Sarah; Karuhize Byarugaba, Denis; Desselberger, Ulrich; Iturriza-Gomara, Miren; Karamagi, Charles
    A cross-sectional study was undertaken during 2012-2013 to determine the prevalence, strains and factors associated with rotavirus infection among under-5-year-old children hospitalized with acute diarrhea in Uganda. Rotaviruses were detected in 37 % (263/712) of the children. The most prevalent strains were G9P[8] (27 %, 55/204) and G12P[4] (18.6 %, 38/204). Mixed infections were detected in 22.5 % (46/204) of the children. The study suggests that consumption of raw vegetables (OR = 1.45, 95 % CI = 1.03-2.03) and family ownership of dogs (OR = 1.9, 95 % CI = 1.04-3.75) increases the risk of rotavirus infection. The study findings will be used to assess the impact of RV vaccination in Uganda.
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    Multilocus sequence analysis revealed a high genotypic diversity of Aeromonas hydrophila infecting fish in Uganda
    (Journal of fish diseases, 2018) Wamala, Samuel Posian; Kahoza Mugimba, Kizito; Dubey, Saurabh; Takele, Abayneh; Mweemba Munang'andu, Hetron; Evensen, Øystein; Mutoloki, Stephen; Karuhize Byarugaba, Denis; Sørum, Henning
    multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) was carried out to delineate Aeromonas hydrophila from fish in Uganda. Five housekeeping genes including recA, gyrB, metG, gltA and pps; and the 16S rRNA gene were amplified and sequenced from a total of nine A. hydrophila isolates. The obtained sequences were edited, and consensus sequences generated for each gene locus. The housekeeping gene sequences were concatenated and phylogenetic analysis performed in MEGA version 7.0.2. Pairwise distances ranged from 0.000 to 0.118, highest within the gltA gene locus and lowest within the 16S rRNA gene. The average evolutionary diversity within isolates from the same source ranged between 0.002 and 0.037, and it was 0.033 between the different sources. Similar tree topologies were obtained from the different gene loci with recA, metG and gyrB being more consistent in discriminating isolates according to sources while the 16S rRNA gene had the lowest resolution. The concatenated tree had the highest discriminatory power. This study revealed that A. hydrophila strains infecting fish in Uganda are of diverse genotypes suggesting different sources of infection in a given outbreak. Efforts to minimize spread of the bacteria across sources should be emphasized to control infections of mixed genotypes.
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    Wide distribution of Mediterranean and African spotted fever agents and the first identification of Israeli spotted fever agent in ticks in Uganda
    (PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES, 2023) Eneku, Wilfred; Erima, Bernard; Maranda Byaruhanga, Anatoli; Atim, Gladys; Tugume, Titus; Ukuli, Qouilazoni A.; Kibuuka, Hannah; Mworozi, Edison; Christina, Douglas; Jeffrey, W. Koehler; Nora, G. Cleary; Michael, E. von Fricken; Tweyongyere, Robert; Wabwire-Mangen, Fred; Karuhize Byarugaba, Denis
    Rickettsia microorganisms are causative agents of several neglected emerging infectious diseases in humans transmitted by arthropods including ticks. In this study, ticks were collected from four geographical regions of Uganda and pooled in sizes of 1–179 ticks based on location, tick species, life stage, host, and time of collection. Then, they were tested by real-time PCR for Rickettsia species with primers targeting gltA, 17kDa and ompA genes, followed by Sanger sequencing of the 17kDa and ompA genes. Of the 471 tick pools tested, 116 (24.6%) were positive for Rickettsia spp. by the gltA primers. The prevalence of Rickettsia varied by district with Gulu recording the highest (30.1%) followed by Luwero (28.1%) and Kasese had the lowest (14%). Tick pools from livestock (cattle, goats, sheep, and pigs) had the highest positivity rate, 26.9%, followed by vegetation, 23.1%, and pets (dogs and cats), 19.7%. Of 116 gltA-positive tick pools, 86 pools were positive using 17kDa primers of which 48 purified PCR products were successfully sequenced. The predominant Rickettsia spp. identified was R. africae (n = 15) in four tick species, followed by R. conorii (n = 5) in three tick species (Haemaphysalis elliptica, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, and Rh. decoloratus). Rickettsia conorii subsp. israelensis was detected in one tick pool. These findings indicate that multiple Rickettsia spp. capable of causing human illness are circulating in the four diverse geographical regions of Uganda including new strains previously known to occur in the Mediterranean region. Physicians should be informed about Rickettsia spp. as potential causes of acute febrile illnesses in these regions. Continued and expanded surveillance is essential to further identify and locate potential hotspots with Rickettsia spp. of concern.