Publications by authors named "Richelle Kihoro"

Introduction: The microscopy-based Kato-Katz and urine filtration techniques have traditionally faced challenges in the detection of schistosomiasis in areas with low infection levels. A modified singleplex Schistosoma genus-specific quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay was therefore evaluated as a sensitive and confirmatory schistosomiasis diagnostic test.

Methodology: The qPCR assay utilized primers and probe targeting internal transcribed spacer- 2 (ITS2) sequence of S.

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Article Synopsis
  • Soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) is a significant public health issue in Kenya, particularly in Narok County, where the National School Based Deworming Program aimed to reduce STH infections to less than 1%, yet the prevalence remains over 20%.
  • A study involving 514 school-aged children in Narok County revealed an overall STH infection prevalence of 24.6%, with the common parasites identified being Trichuris trichiura and Ascaris lumbricoides.
  • Factors such as school attendance at Karda and Nkarano were notably linked to increased risks of STH infection, indicating specific schools require targeted interventions despite the existing deworming efforts.
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Background: Arboviruses often cause widespread morbidity in children in endemic regions. Data on the burden of arboviruses in Kenyan children are limited.

Objectives: This study was performed to determine the seroprevalence of yellow fever (YFV), dengue (DENV), West Nile (WNV), and chikungunya (CHIKV) viruses among children 1-12 years of age at two health facilities in Teso South Sub-County in Western Kenya.

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