Seropositivity of spp. Antibodies among Febrile Patients Attending Outpatient Clinics in Mwanza, Tanzania: Should It Be Included in Routine Diagnosis?

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic neglected tropical disease with a worldwide distribution caused by the pathogenic spirochetes of the genus . Despite being a widespread disease in tropical regions, it has never been considered in the routine diagnostic panel for febrile patients. This study determined seropositivity and factors associated with antibodies among febrile adult patients in Mwanza, Tanzania.

Existence of Similar Serovars among Dog Keepers and Their Respective Dogs in Mwanza, Tanzania, the Need for a One Health Approach to Control Measures.

This study investigated seroepidemiology of serovars among the dog keepers and their dogs in the city of Mwanza, Tanzania. A total of 205 dog keepers and 414 dogs were tested for antibodies using a microscopic agglutination test (MAT). The median age of the dog keepers was 26 (inter quartile range (IQR): 17-40) years and median duration of keeping dogs was 36 (IQR: 24-120) months.

An abattoir survey of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia lesions in slaughtered cattle in selected districts in Northern Tanzania.

Objective: To establish and estimate incidence of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP), using abattoir survey as a diagnostic tool in slaughtered cattle in Northern Tanzania.

Methods: A total of 4 460 cattle were slaughtered in five abattoirs in 3 northern zone regions (Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Tanga) during the period of January to May 2004. They were examined ante-mortem for 'pneumonia signs', and 'characteristic contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) lung lesions'.

Malignant catarrhal fever in pastoral Maasai herds caused by wildebeest associated alcelaphine herpesvirus-1: An outbreak report.

An outbreak of malignant catarrhal fever (MCF), a fatal viral disease in indigenous Tanzanian shorthorn zebu in Ngorongoro district of Tanzania during the period of June 2004 has been described. The disease was diagnosed by clinical, post mortem findings and the virus was identified using molecular characterization study. The history and clinical features included pyrexia, cornel opacity, nasal discharges, multifocal buccal ulceration of varying size and general unthrifty.

A survey of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies by latex agglutination assay in dairy goats in Northern Tanzania.

Food-borne parasitic diseases, such as toxoplasmosis, are increasingly becoming a global food safety concern. A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate seroprevalence and risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity in apparently healthy, unvaccinated dairy goat flocks reared under mixed smallholders, northern Tanzania between April and October 2011. Flock- and animal-level data were collected using a questionnaire.

A survey of zoonotic diseases in trade cattle slaughtered at Tanga city abattoir: a cause of public health concern.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of hydatidosis, cysticercosis, tuberculosis, leptospirosis, brucellosis and toxoplasmosis in slaughtered bovine stock (aged ±3 years) at Tanga city abattoir, Tanzania.

Methods: Prevalence estimation of the five zoonotic diseases was undertaken through an active abattoir and sero-survey was carried out in Tanga city, during the period of January 2002 and March 2004. Serum samples collected from a sub-sample (n=51) of the slaughter stock were serologically screened for antibodies against brucellosis, leptospirosis and toxoplasmosis using Rose Bengal plate test, microscopic agglutination test (for 5 serovars of Leptospira interrogans) and Eiken latex agglutination test, respectively.

Microbial quality and associated health risks of raw milk marketed in the Tanga region of Tanzania.

Objective: To evaluate microbial quality and associated health risks of raw milk marketed in the Tanga region of Tanzania.

Methods: A microbial quality assessment of marketed raw milk was undertaken by evaluating 59 samples of milk from selling points (collecting centres =15), bicycle boys (12) and kiosks/restaurants (32) in Tanga city during April-May 2005. Quality and milk-borne hazards were assessed using a combination of tests in order to quantify the occurrence of Brucellosis (milk ring test), Escherichia coli (E.

Investigation into the Prevalence of Cryptosporidium Infection in Calves among Small-Holder Dairy and Traditional Herds in Tanzania.

A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine prevalence and risk factors of cryptosporidiosis in bovine from two contrasting production system in and around Tanga municipality between May 2003 and January 2004. The study populations comprised 117 calves aged ≤3 months, randomly selected from 44 smallholders dairy and traditional managed herds, respectively. Individual calf and herd-level information was collected using a structured questionnaire and feacal samples were screened for Cryptosporidium spp oocysts using the modified Ziehl-Neelsen method.

The use of rose bengal plate test to asses cattle exposure to Brucella infection in traditional and smallholder dairy production systems of tanga region of Tanzania.

A cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted to determine the seroprevalence and to identify risk factors for bovine brucellosis seropositivity in traditional and smallholder dairy cattle production systems in the Tanga region of North-eastern Tanzania. The study populations comprised 246 indigenous and 409 crossbred cattle, randomly selected from 105 smallholder dairy and 25 traditional managed herds, respectively. Individual animal and herd-level data were collected using a structured questionnaire.

Prevalence and distribution of Peste des petits ruminants virus antibodies in various districts of Tanzania.

Despite the widespread prevalence of infection with Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) in goats and sheep industry in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, there have been few, if any, structured population-based studies examining the epidemiology of this infection in Tanzania. In this study, we investigated the seroprevalence, and risk factors, of Peste des petitis ruminants(PPR) in sheep and goat flocks from seven different geographical administration authorities (Ngorongoro, Monduli, Longido, Karatu, Mbulu, Siha and Simanjiro) located in Northern Tanzania. Serum samples from 657 and 892 sheep and goats, respectively, corresponding to 91 sheep/goat flocks and 43 villages were collected.

Prevalence of Rift Valley fever immunoglobulin G antibody in various occupational groups before the 2007 outbreak in Tanzania.

A cross-sectional sero survey of 199 apparently healthy persons from various occupations was carried out in Tanga, Tanzania in November 2004 to investigate exposure to Rift Valley fever (RVF) virus. Sera were tested for the presence of antibodies to RVF virus by the inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detecting immunoglobulin G (IgG). All reactive sera were further tested by the capture ELISA test and specific RVF immunoglobulin M (IgM) assay.

A longitudinal study on morbidity and mortality in youngstock smallholder dairy cattle with special reference to tick borne infections in Tanga region, Tanzania.

The incidence and potential determinants of tick borne diseases (TBDs) were estimated in a longitudinal study that was conducted in cohorts of youngstock animals of less than 3 years kept in smallholder dairy farms in Tanga region, Tanzania. A combination of serological tests, blood and lymph node smears were used as diagnostic tests for TBDs during the study. A total number of 549 youngstock were followed for a total of 532.

Human brucellosis: seroprevalence and risk factors related to high risk occupational groups in Tanga Municipality, Tanzania.

The objective of this study was to describe the prevalence of brucellosis in various occupations in Tanga, Tanzania. During the year 2004, serum samples were collected from volunteers in various occupations and screened for brucella antibodies using Rose Bengal Plate Agglutination Test. Information on occupation, kind of work and contacts with livestock was collected and age and sex were recorded.

A comparison of seroprevalence and risk factors for Theileria parva and T. mutans in smallholder dairy cattle in the Tanga and Iringa regions of Tanzania.

A cross sectional serological survey was carried out in two geographical small-scale dairying areas of Tanzania to determine the distribution and prevalence and to quantify risk factors for Theileria parva and T. mutans during the period January to April 1999. The prevalence of serum antibodies to these two Theileria parasites was determined using an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique.