Gastrointestinal carriage of carbapenemase-producing enterobacterales among inpatient and outpatient children in Kenya.

Gastrointestinal carriage of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, especially carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE), presents a critical public health threat globally. However, in many resource-constrained countries, epidemiological data on CPE is limited. Here, we assessed gastrointestinal carriage and associated factors of CPE among inpatient and outpatient children (≤ 5 years).

Leveraging the complex interplay between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, seasonal dynamics, and genotypic diversity to optimize maize productivity in semi-arid agroecosystems.

Maize production under low-input agricultural systems in semi-arid areas of Sub-Saharan Africa faces significant challenges, primarily stemming from the synergistic impacts of climate variability and suboptimal agronomic practices. Harnessing soil microbiota, particularly arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), represents a pivotal strategy for bolstering low-input systems. However, their functional utility is contingent upon their compatibility with the prevailing environmental conditions and biotic interactions.

Asymptomatic gastrointestinal carriage of multidrug-resistant carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae among children under five years in a Kenyan hospital.

Objectives: Asymptomatic gastrointestinal carriage of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) is a threat to global health in developing countries with inadequate safe drinking water, poor hygiene, and weak antimicrobial stewardship; however, epidemiological data to guide CRE infection prevention and control is limited in these settings. We assessed asymptomatic CRE and carbapenem-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) fecal carriage rates and associated risk factors among hospitalized children aged under 5 years.

Methods: We adopted a cross-sectional study at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital in Nairobi-City County, Kenya, between June and September 2022.

Molecular Characterization and Diversity of Bacteria Isolated from Fish and Fish Products Retailed in Kenyan Markets.

Fish products are highly vulnerable to microbial contamination due to their soft tissues, making them perishable and harmful to consumers. The clinical and subclinical infections reported by fish consumers are mainly associated with pathogenic microorganisms in fish products. Therefore, this study aimed at establishing the molecular profiles and diversity of the bacterial isolates from fish and fish products obtained from Kirinyaga County markets in Kenya.

Genetic and phenotypic diversity of microsymbionts nodulating promiscuous soybeans from different agro-climatic conditions.

Background: Global food supply is highly dependent on field crop production that is currently severely threatened by changing climate, poor soil quality, abiotic, and biotic stresses. For instance, one of the major challenges to sustainable crop production in most developing countries is limited nitrogen in the soil. Symbiotic nitrogen fixation of legumes such as soybean (Glycine max (L.

Identification of enteroviruses along Lake Victoria shoreline - a potential indicator of sewage pollution.

E n t e r i c v i r u s e s a r e m a i n l y t r a n s m i t t e d b y t h e f a e c a l - o r a l r o u t e a n d h a v e b e e n l i n k e d t o s e v e r a l d i s e a s e s i n c l u d i n g g a s t r o e n t e r i t i s a n d r e s p i r a t o r y i n f e c t i o n s . T h e i r p r e s e n c e i n s u r f a c e w a t e r s h a s b e e n exacerbated by p o l l u t i o n f r o m a v a r i e t y o f p o i n t s o u r c e s s u c h a s s e w a g e d i s c h a r g e . W e s t u d i e d t h e occurrence o f e n t e r o v i r u s e s i n w a t e r s a m p l e s f r o m L a k e V i c t o r i a i n K e n y a t o i n v e s t i g a t e i f t h e r e w a s a l i n k b e t w e e n s e w a g e p o l l u t i o n a n d d e t e c t i o n o f e n t e r o v i r u s e s ( E V s ) t o b u i l d a b a s e l i n e f o r a n enteric viruses monitoring platform for this region.

Distribution, Characterization and the Commercialization of Elite Rhizobia Strains in Africa.

Grain legumes play a significant role in smallholder farming systems in Africa because of their contribution to nutrition and income security and their role in fixing nitrogen. Biological Nitrogen Fixation (BNF) serves a critical role in improving soil fertility for legumes. Although much research has been conducted on rhizobia in nitrogen fixation and their contribution to soil fertility, much less is known about the distribution and diversity of the bacteria strains in different areas of the world and which of the strains achieve optimal benefits for the host plants under specific soil and environmental conditions.

Prevalence and Genetic Diversity of HAV and HBV Viruses among Jaundice Patients at Coast General Hospital, Mombasa County, Kenya.

Background: Hepatitis A and B causes morbidity and mortality among patients. This study determined the proportion of hepatitis A, B viruses (HAV, HBV) and genetic diversity of HBV among jaundice patients at the Coast General Hospital, Mombasa County, Kenya.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 222 patients; recruited and screened for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-HAV IgM.

Hepatitis B virus genetic heterogeneity and drug resistance among jaundiced patients at Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital, Mombasa County, Kenya.

Objectives: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and emergence of drug resistance have remained one of the major public health puzzles. This study determined circulating HBV genotypes and nucleoside analog resistance to provide information in choosing the best therapy.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among jaundiced patients visiting Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital during the period between February and August 2018.

Symbiotic efficiency and genetic characterization of rhizobia and non rhizobial endophytes associated with cowpea grown in semi-arid tropics of Kenya.

Cowpea ( (L.) Walp) is an important multipurpose legume crop grown in arid and semi-arid areas of sub-Saharan Africa. The crop associates with a wide diversity of high ecological value rhizobia bacteria, improving biological soil fertility and crop production.

Effects of Contamination of Freshwater Habitat With Common Heavy Metals and Anions on the Prevalence of Human Adenoviruses and Enteroviruses.

The occurrence and survival of enteric viruses in open surface waters can be impacted by a host of factors including fecal emission levels, seasonal variations, virus stability and the physicochemical parameters. In this research, we aimed to document the association between contaminations of water samples with human enteric viruses (adenoviruses and enteroviruses) from a freshwater lake with variations in chemical contaminants. We collected 216 water samples from October 2010 to April 2012, from a 4 km stretch along Lake Victoria (LV) basin in Homa Bay town located in the western region of Kenya.

Molecular Detection of Human Enteric Adenoviruses in Water Samples Collected from Lake Victoria Waters Along Homa Bay Town, Homa Bay County, Kenya.

Lake Victoria is the primary source of water for millions of people in the Sub-Saharan Africa region. In recent years, population development around the lake has resulted in compromised sanitation standards resulting in increased faecal pollution of the lake. Consequently, this condition has increased the chances of waterborne enteric viruses, such as adenoviruses' circulation in the community.

Occurrence of Enteric Viruses in Surface Water and the Relationship with Changes in Season and Physical Water Quality Dynamics.

Environmental water quality issues have dominated global discourse and studies over the past five decades. Significant parameters of environmental water quality include changes in biological and physical parameters. Some of the biological parameters of significance include occurrence of enteric viruses.

Antimicrobial resistance genes in Salmonella and Escherichia coli isolates from chicken droppings in Nairobi, Kenya.

Objective: Increase in antimicrobial resistance is a threat to health sector globally. Surveillance on the spread and emergence of antimicrobial resistance is therefore invertible. This study investigated prevalence of Salmonella and Escherichia coli, molecularly characterized their antimicrobial resistance patterns and spread among resistant isolates from chicken droppings.

Genetic diversity of symbiotic bacteria nodulating common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) in western Kenya.

Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) in legumes plays a critical role in improving soil fertility. Despite this vital role, there is limited information on the genetic diversity and BNF of bacteria nodulating common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.).

Genetic Characterization and Diversity of Isolated From Root Nodules of Mid-Altitude Climbing Bean ( L.) Varieties.

The increasing interest in the use of rhizobia as biofertilizers in smallholder agricultural farming systems of the Sub-Saharan Africa has prompted the identification of a large number of tropical rhizobia strains and led to studies on their diversity. Inoculants containing diverse strains of rhizobia have been developed for use as biofertilizers to promote soil fertility and symbiotic nitrogen fixation in legumes. In spite of this success, there is paucity of data on rhizobia diversity and genetic variation associated with the newly released and improved mid-altitude climbing (MAC) bean lines ( L.

Potential of Native Rhizobia in Enhancing Nitrogen Fixation and Yields of Climbing Beans ( L.) in Contrasting Environments of Eastern Kenya.

Climbing bean ( L.) production in Kenya is greatly undermined by low soil fertility, especially in agriculturally prolific areas. The use of effective native rhizobia inoculants to promote nitrogen fixation could be beneficial in climbing bean production.

Physico-chemical Analysis, Microbial Isolation, Sensitivity Test of the Isolates and Solar Disinfection of Water Running in Community Taps and River Kandutura in Nakuru North Sub-county, Kenya.

Nakuru North sub-county is a peri-urban area which has both dry and wet seasons. Its residents rely mostly on untreated water sources for daily water needs due to unreliable water supply from the urban council. However, this water has not been evaluated on its quality despite residents solely depending on it.

Prevalence of Tinea capitis in school going children from Mathare, informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya.

Background: Tinea capitis is a common infection especially in poor resource settings. This study was aimed at determining the prevalence Tinea capitis in children from selected schools from an urban slum in Nairobi city of Kenya.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in 150 school going children during the period between May and September 2013.

Symbiotic Efficiency of Native Rhizobia Nodulating Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in Soils of Western Kenya.

This study was conducted to determine the abundance and symbiotic efficiency of native rhizobia nodulating common bean in Kisumu and Kakamega, Kenya. Soil sampling was carried out in three farms that had been used for growing common bean for at least two seasons and one fallow land with no known history of growing common bean or inoculation. Abundance of soil rhizobia and symbiotic efficiency (SE) were determined in a greenhouse experiment.