Mentorship of young researchers in resource-limited settings: experiences of the mentees from selected health sciences Universities in Tanzania.

Introduction: Mentorship is an essential component of research capacity building for young researchers in the health sciences. The mentorship environment in resource-limited settings is gradually improving. This article describes mentees' experiences in a mentorship program for junior academicians amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Tanzania.

Circulation of Rift Valley Fever Virus Antibody in Cattle during Inter-Epizootic/Epidemic Periods in Selected Regions of Tanzania.

Tanzania is one of the sub-Saharan countries that have experienced a number of Rift Valley fever (RVF) outbreaks at intervals of 10-20 years since the first isolation of the virus during the early 1930s. Recent studies have reported serological evidence of inter epizootic/epidemic period circulation of RVF virus (RVFV) in livestock and humans. The aim of this study was to conduct a cross-sectional survey in Tanzania during 2015/16 to further explore the possibility that RVFV was circulating among cattle during the Inter epizootic/epidemic period.

Safety and immunogenicity of Rift Valley fever MP-12 and arMP-12ΔNSm21/384 vaccine candidates in goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) from Tanzania.

Vaccination of domestic ruminants is considered to be an effective strategy for protecting these animals against Rift Valley fever (RVF), but available vaccines have limitations. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the safety and immunogenicity of RVF virus (RVFV) mutagenesis passage 12 (MP-12) and arMP-12ΔNSm21/384 vaccine candidates in goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) in Tanzania. Goats were vaccinated intramuscularly with RVFV MP-12 or arMP-12ΔNSm21/384, and then on Day 87 post-vaccination (PV) all animals were revaccinated using the RVFV MP-12 vaccine candidate.

Serological evidence of inter-epizootic/inter-epidemic circulation of Rift Valley fever virus in domestic cattle in Kyela and Morogoro, Tanzania.

Background: Tanzania is among the Rift Valley fever (RVF) epizootic/endemic countries in sub Saharan Africa, where RVF disease outbreaks occur within a range of 3 to 17-year intervals. Detection of Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) antibodies in animals in regions with no previous history of outbreaks raises the question of whether the disease is overlooked due to lack-of effective surveillance systems, or if there are strains of RVFV with low pathogenicity. Furthermore, which vertebrate hosts are involved in the inter-epidemic and inter-epizootic maintenance of RVFV? In our study region, the Kyela and Morogoro districts in Tanzania, no previous RVF outbreaks have been reported.

Environmental constrains on post-partum ovarian activity in Tanzanian Zebu cows.

Milk progesterone measurements were used to study post-partum ovarian activity and risk factors for ovarian dysfunction in Zebu cows reared under a traditional pastoral management system in three villages in Morogoro region, Tanzania. Milk samples for progesterone analysis were collected twice per week from a total of 98 lactations. The most prevalent ovarian dysfunction detected was delayed onset of post-partum ovarian activity and cessation of cyclical ovarian activity after a period of normal ovarian function.