Publications by authors named "Stella A Atim"
Background: Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Canestrini, 1888), the Asian blue tick, is a highly invasive and adaptable ectoparasite. This tick species has successfully established itself in most regions of the world, with movement of cattle being a major driver for its spread. In the recent past, R.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- * A survey involving 399 households used semi-structured questionnaires, focus group discussions, and key interviews, with data analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics using STATA software.
- * Findings indicated that while most respondents knew about CCHF, only 12.8% were aware of prevention measures, and 67.2% frequently interacted with ticks. Despite recognizing the disease's severity, 99% of respondents were open to reintegrating CCHF survivors into the community
Anthrax, caused by Bacillus anthracis, is a widespread zoonotic disease with many human cases, especially in developing countries. Even with its global distribution, anthrax is a neglected disease with scarce information about its actual impact on the community level. Due to the ecological dynamics of anthrax transmission at the wildlife-livestock interface, the Sub-Saharan Africa region becomes a high-risk zone for maintaining and acquiring the disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne virus that poses a health threat in Uganda, prompting an outbreak investigation after a human case linked to cattle.
- Researchers tested blood and tick samples from 210 animals (117 cattle and 93 goats) to determine infection rates and identify risk factors.
- The study found high levels of CCHF antibodies in the animals, particularly among females and those in pastoral systems, suggesting the need for enhanced surveillance and prevention measures in the region.
Background: Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is an emerging human-health threat causing sporadic outbreaks in livestock farming communities. However, the full extent and the risks associated with exposure of such communities has not previously been well-described.
Methods: We collected blood samples from 800 humans, 666 cattle, 549 goats and 32 dogs in districts within and outside Ugandan cattle corridor in a cross-sectional survey, and tested for CCHFV-specific IgG antibodies using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays.
Due to the current unavailability of vaccines or treatments for African swine fever (ASF), which is caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV), rapid and reliable detection of the virus is essential for timely implementation of emergency control measures and differentiation of ASF from other swine diseases with similar clinical presentations. Here, an improved PCR assay was developed and evaluated for sensitive and universal detection of ASFV. Primers specific for ASFV were designed based on the highly conserved region of the vp72 gene sequences of all ASFV strains available in GenBank, and the PCR assay was established and compared with two OIE-validated PCR tests.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF