http://dspace.lamu.edu.zm:8080/handle/123456789/114 2026-10-13T05:27:25Z 2026-10-13T05:27:25Z Nyirenda, Stanley S Mwansa, James Mooya, Lynnfield E http://dspace.lamu.edu.zm:8080/handle/123456789/279 2023-01-10T08:54:45Z 2022-11-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Prevalence and Risk factors associated with the transmission of Urinary Schistosomiasis among the school-going children in Kafue district, Zambia Authors: Nyirenda, Stanley S; Mwansa, James; Mooya, Lynnfield E Abstract: Urinary Schistosomiasis is one of the neglected tropical snail-borne diseases of humans in Zambia. It's endemic in most communities, where water bodies and poor sanitation are prominent. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and identify risk factors associated with Schistosomiasis propagation among pupils. A total of 321 urine samples and questionnaires were collected. The results showed that 10.6% (34/321) were infected including 3.7% of girls and 6.9% of boys. The results also indicated that 64.7% had 30mg/dL, 17.6% had 100mg/dL and 8.8% had 500mg/dL proteinuria while 18% showed 100mg/dL, 34% showed 300mg/dL and 12% showed 1000mg/dL haematuria. Of the 34 infected, 23.5% (8/34) were herdsmen, 26.6% (9/34) were swimming, and fishing, 17.6% (6/34) were washing plates and clothes, while 17.6% (6/34) were gardening. The boys were more at risk than girls (RR=1.6). Our results showed that not only proximity to the river could be a risk, but also water activities were the principal risks for contraction of Schistosomiasis. Our findings suggest that positive pupils were in contact with infective cercariae through various water activities. Therefore, there is a need to enhance educational campaigns on threats and prevention measures to reduce further infection. Description: This journal article can be found at this cite:doi: 10.22034/jzd.2022.15074

2022-11-01T00:00:00Z Fenwick, A. Webster, J.P. Oliva, E Bosque Blair, Lynsey Fleming, F.M. Zhang, Y. Garba, A. Storthard, J.R. Gabrielli, A.F. Clements, A.C.A Kabatereine, N.B. Toure, S. Dembele, R. Nyandindi, U Mwansa, James Koukounari, A http://dspace.lamu.edu.zm:8080/handle/123456789/221 2023-01-16T11:00:26Z 2006-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: The Schistosomiasis Control Initiative (SCI): rationale, development and implementation from 2002–2008 Authors: Fenwick, A.; Webster, J.P.; Oliva, E Bosque; Blair, Lynsey; Fleming, F.M.; Zhang, Y.; Garba, A.; Storthard, J.R.; Gabrielli, A.F.; Clements, A.C.A; Kabatereine, N.B.; Toure, S.; Dembele, R.; Nyandindi, U; Mwansa, James; Koukounari, A Abstract: Schistosomiasis remains one of the most prevalent parasitic diseases in developing countries. After malaria, schistosomiasis is the most important tropical disease in terms of human morbidity with significant economic and public health consequences. Although schistosomiasis has recently attracted increased focus and funding for control, it has been estimated that less than 20% of the funding needed to control the disease in Africa is currently available. In this article the following issues are discussed: the rationale, development and objectives of the Schistosomiasis Control Initiative (SCI)-supported programmes; the management approaches followed to achieve implementation by each country; mapping, monitoring and evaluation activities with quantifiable impact of control programmes; monitoring for any potential drug resistance; and finally exit strategies within each country. The results have demonstrated that morbidity due to schistosomiasis has been reduced by the control programmes. While challenges remain, the case for the control of schistosomiasis has been strengthened by research by SCI teams and the principle that a national programme using ‘preventive chemotherapy’ can be successfully implemented in sub-Saharan Africa, whenever the resources are available. SCI and partners are now actively striving to raise further funds to expand the coverage of integrated control of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in sub-Saharan Africa. Description: This journal article can be found at this site: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0031182009990400

2006-01-01T00:00:00Z Safa, Ashrafus Sultana, Jinath Cam, Phung Dac Mwansa, James Kong, Richard Y.C http://dspace.lamu.edu.zm:8080/handle/123456789/220 2023-01-10T08:05:34Z 2008-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Vibrio cholerae O1 hybrid El Tor Strains, Asia and Africa Authors: Safa, Ashrafus; Sultana, Jinath; Cam, Phung Dac; Mwansa, James; Kong, Richard Y.C Abstract: Vibrio cholerae is a water-borne pathogen that causes a severe watery diarrhea disease known as cholera. On the basis of variable somatic O antigen composition, >200 serogroups of V. cholerae have beenrecognized. Classical and El Tor are 2 well-established biotypes within the V. cholerae O1 serogroup, and they can be distinguished by differences in their biochemical reactions or phenotypic traits (1). In addition to phenotypic traits, genetic markers have recently been used in the identifi cation of the biotypes of V. cholerae. For example, the major toxin-coregulated pilus (TCP) gene, tcpA, of the TCP cluster possesses classical- and El Tor–specifi c alleles that encode identical functions but differ in their DNA sequence composition; however, the rtxC gene of the repeat in toxin (RTX) cluster is present in El Tor strains only and absent in classical strains (2,3). The cholera toxin, encoded by the ctxA and ctxB genes, is the principal toxin produced by V. cholerae O1 and O139 and is responsible for the disease cholera. Heterogeneity within the ctxB gene and protein was fi rst reported in the early 1990s, and, on this basis, 3 ctxB genotypes of the V. cholerae O1 strains have been identifi ed. Based on amino acid residue substitutions at positions 39, 46, and 68, all classical and US Gulf Coast El Tor strains have been categorized as genotype 1, the Australian El Tor strains as genotype 2, and the El Tor strains of the seventh pandemic and the Latin American epidemic as genotype 3. Genotyping of ctxB has indicated that the classical strains harbor a unique cholera toxin gene that is not in the El Tor strains except for the US Gulf Coast El Tor clone (4). The US Gulf Coast hybrid El Tor strains that harbor the classical cholera toxin have been associated with sporadic outbreaks in the United States (5) and, until recently, had not been reported anywhere else in the world. Then in 2004, hybrid El Tor strains that encode the classical cholera toxin were isolated from cholera patients in Matlab, Bangladesh (6), and in Beira, Mozambique (7). In 2006, Nair et al. reported that the current seventh pandemic prototype El Tor strains had been replaced by hybrid El Tor strains in Bangladesh (8). We now report how far the hybrid El Tor strains have spread in Asia and Africa Description: This journal article can be found at this site:10.3201/eid1406.080129

2008-01-01T00:00:00Z Mutengo, Mable M. Mduluza, Takafira Kelly, Paul Mwansa, James Kwenda, Geoffrey Musonda, Patrick Chipeta, James http://dspace.lamu.edu.zm:8080/handle/123456789/219 2023-01-10T07:54:21Z 2018-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Low IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α and High IL-13 Cytokine Levels Are Associated with Severe Hepatic Fibrosis in Schistosoma mansoni Chronically Exposed Individuals Authors: Mutengo, Mable M.; Mduluza, Takafira; Kelly, Paul; Mwansa, James; Kwenda, Geoffrey; Musonda, Patrick; Chipeta, James Abstract: Several studies have attributed the etiopathogenesis of chronic Schistosoma mansoni related hepatic fibrosis to unregulated immune responses against trapped parasite ova in the host. However, there is limited data on immune profiles associated with varying degrees of the disease in a population under chronic exposure to the parasite. We therefore investigated the role of selected T-helper (Th)1, Th2, and Th17 cytokines in relation to hepatic fibrosis severity among individuals resident in a hyper-Schistosoma mansoni endemic region of Western Zambia. Two hundred and forty-four S. mansoni infected individuals with and without fibrosis were analysed for cytokine profiles. Based on hepatic fibrosis stage as determined by ultrasound, participants were categorized into Group 0, Group I, Group II, and Group III. Cytokines were measured in S. mansoni egg stimulated whole blood culture supernatants using the BD Cytometric Bead Array kits. Compared to the nonfibrotic group, participants in the severe hepatic fibrotic group produced less interleukin- (IL-) 6, IL-10, and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). On the other hand, IL-13 was significantly elevated in this group compared to the nonfibrotic group (). Our results suggest that low IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α and high IL-13 levels may influence S. mansoni disease progression Description: This Journal article can be found at this site:https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/9754060

2018-01-01T00:00:00Z