Browsing by Author "Muma, John B."

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    Cattle owners' awareness of bovine tuberculosis in high and low prevalence settings of the wildlife-livestock interface areas in Zambia
    (BMC Veterinary Research, 2010) Munyeme, Musso; Muma, John B.; Munang'andu, Hetron M.; Kankya, Clovice; Skjerve, Eystein; Tryland, Morten
    Awareness of bovine tuberculosis (BTB) by cattle owners is of extreme importance to policy makers when considering mitigation. However, to our knowledge, little is known on cattle owners' awareness of BTB in Zambia. Similarly, such knowledge is uncommon within and outside Africa. The current study investigates the epidemiological characteristics of BTB in Zambian cattle in relation to awareness by cattle owners in high and low cattle BTB prevalence settings. A cross sectional study was designed and data was gathered based on 106 cattle owners and cattle herds; subjected to an interviewer-administered questionnaire and comparative intradermal tuberculin test using a cut-off for positivity of 4 mm, respectively. Results: Reported levels of cattle and wildlife contact by respondents was at 40%, 58.2% and 1.8%, were relatively proportional to herd level prevalence of cattle BTB at 64.8%, 58.1% and 5.9% in Blue lagoon, Lochinvar and Kazungula respectively. Although 42/106 (39.6%) of cattle owners had heard of BTB, only 3 (7%) had an idea on how the disease was spread. Cattle contact with wildlife was associated with high levels of awareness by cattle owners (χ2 = 43.5, df = 2, P < 0.001). Awareness of BTB in low prevalence settings was lower compared to high prevalence settings. Conclusions: Our study has revealed low levels of awareness among cattle owners on BTB. These results could be useful for policy makers when planning mitigation measures to consider awareness levels by cattle owners for effective implementation. Such information is useful for determining sensitisation programs for cattle owners before mitigation. These results further provide useful insights that disease control is a multi-factorial process with cattle owners as an integral part that can support policy implementation.
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    Evaluation of Bacterial Contamination of Beef Carcasses in Namwala and Lusaka Districts, Zambia
    (Journal of Agricultural and Biomedical Sciences, 2021) Mwasinga, Wizaso; Muma, John B.; Kankya, Clovice; Mumba, Chisoni; Munyeme, Musso
    Abattoirs have been purported to be ideal areas were possible microbial contamination of meat products is likely to occur. A total of 314 food of animal origin, mainly, beef, has been identified as a source of dietary protein for humans albeit it being a source of food-borne diseases including zoonoses. This study was carried out to evaluate bacterial contamination and the risk factors associated with contamination of beef carcasses during processing. Methods: A total of four abattoirs were sampled within three months with one in Namwala and three in Lusaka districts. 314 beef carcass surface swabs were obtained from the neck region by swabbing the carcasses, immediately after evisceration and after washing. Results: The results of mean total viable counts (TVC) of carcass contamination were enumerated as the mean log from 4.7 Log10 cfu/cm2 in an abattoir where Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) practiced to 5.8 Log10 cfu/cm2 in abattoirs without HACCP. Bivariate analysis showed a significant difference in carcass contamination when town abattoirs (Lusaka) were compared with rural ones (Namwala); χ2 = 43.87, P < 0.0001. Multiple logistic regression analysis identified poor hygiene practices, the absence of antemortem inspection, and lack of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) implementation as significant factors associated with carcass contamination. Conclusion: The microbial load of the fresh beef carcasses in Namwala district was higher than that in Lusaka district as determined by the Total Viable Count. This is an indicator that beef is being produced under poor abattoir hygiene conditions. Therefore, beef carcasses with high bacterial loads are potential sources of foodborne pathogens leading to foodborne disease, hence, there is need for advocating for good hygiene practices in the abattoirs.