Artemisinin-Resistant Plasmodium falciparum with High Survival Rates, Uganda, 2014-2016.

Because ≈90% of malaria cases occur in Africa, emergence of artemisinin-resistant Plasmodium falciparum in Africa poses a serious public health threat. To assess emergence of artemisinin-resistant parasites in Uganda during 2014-2016, we used the recently developed ex vivo ring-stage survival assay, which estimates ring-stage-specific P. falciparum susceptibility to artemisinin.

Assessment of Ficam VC (Bendiocarb) Residual Activity on Different Wall Surfaces for Control of Anopheles gambiae s.s. (Diptera: Culicidae) in Northern Uganda.

Insecticide decay rate on different wall surfaces is of importance to indoor residual spray (IRS) programs used as a malaria control intervention. Past IRS operations showed increasing populations of endophilic malaria vectors resting on indoor surfaces from various sites in Uganda following use of Ficam VC (bendiocarb) insecticide; variability of insecticide life was believed to be primarily due to wall surface type. Bendiocarb longevity was tested in the northern Uganda districts of Amuru, Apac, and Pader to assess its residual efficacy on three commonly encountered wall surfaces.

Application of a cell microarray chip system for accurate, highly sensitive, and rapid diagnosis for malaria in Uganda.

Accurate, sensitive, rapid, and easy operative diagnosis is necessary to prevent the spread of malaria. A cell microarray chip system including a push column for the recovery of erythrocytes and a fluorescence detector was employed for malaria diagnosis in Uganda. The chip with 20,944 microchambers (105 μm width and 50 μm depth) was made of polystyrene.

Heterogeneity in the prevalence and intensity of bovine trypanosomiasis in the districts of Amuru and Nwoya, Northern Uganda.

Background: Livestock trypanosomiasis, transmitted mainly by tsetse flies of the genus Glossina is a major constraint to livestock health and productivity in the sub-Saharan Africa. Knowledge of the prevalence and intensity of trypanosomiasis is important in understanding the epidemiology of the disease. The objectives of this study were to (a) assess the prevalence and intensity of trypanosome infections in cattle, and (b) to investigate the reasons for the heterogeneity of the disease in the tsetse infested districts of Amuru and Nwoya, northern Uganda.

Evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of pyramidal, modified pyramidal and monoscreen traps for the control of the tsetse fly, Glossina fuscipes fuscipes, in Uganda.

Several trap designs have been used for sampling and control of the tsetse fly, Glossina fuscipes fuscipes, Newstead (Diptera: Glossinidae) based on preferences of individual researchers and program managers with little understanding of the comparative efficiency and cost-effectiveness of trap designs. This study was carried out to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of four commonly used trap designs: monoscreen, modified pyramidal and pyramidal, relative to the standard biconical trap. The study was performed under high tsetse challenge on Buvuma Island, Lake Victoria, Uganda, using a 4 x 4 Latin square design replicated 3 times, so as to separate the trap positions and day effects from the treatment effect.

Effect of agro-ecological zone and grazing system on incidence of East Coast Fever in calves in Mbale and Sironko Districts of Eastern Uganda.

Between May 2002 and February 2003 a longitudinal survey was carried out in Mbale and Sironko Districts of Eastern Uganda to determine the influence of agro-ecological zones (AEZ) and grazing systems on tick infestation patterns and incidence of East Coast Fever (ECF) in bovine calves. The study area was stratified into AEZ (lowland, midland and upland) and grazing systems {zero grazing (ZG), restricted-outdoor grazing (ROG) and communal grazing (CG)}, whose strata had previously been shown to influence the prevalence of ECF, babesiosis and anaplasmosis. One hundred and eighty-five smallholder dairy farms with a total of 198 calves of both sexes, between the ages of 1 day and 6 weeks, were purposively selected from the AEZ-grazing system strata.

The prevalence of serum antibodies to tick-borne infections in Mbale District, Uganda: the effect of agro-ecological zone, grazing management and age of cattle.

Between August and October 2000, a cross-sectional study was conducted in smallholder dairy farms in Mbale District, Uganda to assess the prevalence of ticks and tick-borne diseases under different grazing systems and agro-ecological zones and understand the circumstances under which farmers operated. A questionnaire was administered to obtain information on dairy farm circumstances and practices. A total of 102 farms were visited and sera and ticks were collected from 478 animals.

Endemic stability for Theileria parva infections in Ankole calves of the Ankole ranching scheme, Uganda.

A population-based study was carried out on the Ankole ranching scheme in south-west Uganda with the aim of determining the endemic status of Theileria parva infections. For this purpose, the age-related sero-prevalence of T. parva and the specific calf mortality associated with the parasite were assessed.

The impact of tick control on the productivity of indigenous cattle under ranch conditions in Uganda.

The impact of tick control on the productivity of indigenous cattle was investigated in three herds of East African shorthorn Zebu and Zebu x Ankole (Nganda) breeds, maintained under three tick management systems practised under ranch conditions: twice-a-week dipping, once-a-month dipping, and no tick control. The milk production and the growth rates of pre-weaned and post-weaned calves were monitored once a month over a period of 34 months. Milk offtake was 23% higher during the heavy rainy seasons than in the long dry seasons.

Population dynamics of ticks on indigenous cattle in a pastoral dry to semi-arid rangeland zone of Uganda.

Studies on seasonality and population dynamics of ticks on indigenous cattle and their crosses (calves) were carried out in Buruli Ranching Scheme, Nabiswera, Luwero district of Uganda on three treatment groups of animals: group 1 (twice a week dipping), group 2 (once a month dipping) and group 3 (no tick control). During this study, four major species of ticks of economic importance were recorded in decreasing order of abundance: Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi, Amblyomma variegatum and Boophilus decoloratus. Of these ticks, a seasonal pattern of activity was only observed in R.

Financial analysis of dipping strategies for indigenous cattle under ranch conditions in Uganda.

A financial analysis was performed to assess the performance of three acaricide-treatment groups of indigenous breeds (Zebu and Nganda) of cattle on a ranch in Luwero District, Uganda. The treatments were based on different frequencies: twice-a-week dipping, once-a-month dipping and no tick control. The objective was to evaluate the economic justification for intensive acaricide application for tick and tick-borne disease control in Uganda.

Control of tsetse flies in Uganda by dipping cattle in deltamethrin.

The effect of treating cattle with deltamethrin to control tsetse flies and ticks was investigated on 2 ranches 8 km apart in central Uganda where there is a high risk of trypanosomosis. This area had a moderate challenge of Glossina pallidipes. The cattle had very low challenge of Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, Amblyomma variegatum, Boophilus decolaratus and Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi, due to regular treatment with dioxathion.