Ticks are reservoirs of a variety of pathogens including bacteria, viruses and protozoa. We used PCR to detect pathogens of public health importance in ticks collected from diverse regions of Kenya. 503 tick pools wer...Ticks are reservoirs of a variety of pathogens including bacteria, viruses and protozoa. We used PCR to detect pathogens of public health importance in ticks collected from diverse regions of Kenya. 503 tick pools were collected from 982 cattle, 300 sheep and 379 goats that were presented for slaughter at major abattoirs in Nairobi and Mombasa. Tick DNA was screened by qPCR optimized for single-plex detection of Babesia microti, two-plex Coxiella burnetii/Ehrlichia chaffeensis or Bartonella henselae/Borrelia recurrentis or three-plex for the non-human Babesia spp/Anaplasma phagocytophylum/Borrelia burgdorferi. Pathogen prevalence was calculated against tick type and the geographical origin. Computational analysis was performed with Graphpad prism 5. Out of 503 tick analyzed, 21% (106) were positive for at least one pathogen. C. burnetii was the most abundant at 70% (74/106), followed by non-human Babesia at 17% (18/106), 5% (5/106) for B. burgdorferi, 7% (7/106) for other Borrelia species and <1% (1/106) for E. chaffeensis and A. phagocytophylum. B. henselae and the human infective B. microti were not detected. Rh. pulchellus was the most promiscuous one in carrying pathogens: C. burnetti, Babesia, B. burgdorferi, E. chaffeensis and A. phagocytophylum. Non-human infective Babesia were detected in all ticks except Amblyomma. Four counties had 70% of the infected ticks: Marsabit 25% (n = 26/106), Kajiado 17% (18/106), Wajir 16% (17/106) and Narok 11% (12/106). This study identified a number of tick-borne pathogens that cause febrile infections often confused with malaria. Follow-up research will be needed to determine prevalence in humans.展开更多
Objectives: To evaluate quantitatively deformation of the angle of the horizontal plane of the bevel tip in new dental needles and in dental needles used in clinical procedures. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional...Objectives: To evaluate quantitatively deformation of the angle of the horizontal plane of the bevel tip in new dental needles and in dental needles used in clinical procedures. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed with 360 dental needles from four different manufacturers. The needles were divided into four groups (90 per group): Group 1, Monoject;Group 2, DLP;Group 3, Badiject, and Group 4, Zeyco. The new and used needles were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy to evaluate quantitatively the deformation on the bevel. Results: All groups showed a significantly statistical difference between new needles and needles used for one or two injections展开更多
The 2016 Olympic Games happened at the time of heightened fears of Zika virus (ZIKV) that was causing microcephaly in newborns in Brazil. To avert or track introduction of ZIKV in Kenya, the Ministry of Health develop...The 2016 Olympic Games happened at the time of heightened fears of Zika virus (ZIKV) that was causing microcephaly in newborns in Brazil. To avert or track introduction of ZIKV in Kenya, the Ministry of Health developed a public health response that involved screening of the Kenyan contingent before and after traveling to Brazil. Of the 92 team members that were screened, all but one tested negative for ZIKV IgM and IgG. The sero-positive individual had high IgM serum titers before and after travel to Brazil. When tested for potential antibody cross-reactivity to other flaviviruses that have been reported in Kenya, the sample showed high IgM cross-reactivity to West Nile, Tick-Borne Encephalitis and Yellow Fever Virus. Our data support the low risk predictions of acquiring ZIKV that were made before the Games and will help inform risk assessments for personnel traveling to endemic regions under similar circumstances in the future.展开更多
文摘Ticks are reservoirs of a variety of pathogens including bacteria, viruses and protozoa. We used PCR to detect pathogens of public health importance in ticks collected from diverse regions of Kenya. 503 tick pools were collected from 982 cattle, 300 sheep and 379 goats that were presented for slaughter at major abattoirs in Nairobi and Mombasa. Tick DNA was screened by qPCR optimized for single-plex detection of Babesia microti, two-plex Coxiella burnetii/Ehrlichia chaffeensis or Bartonella henselae/Borrelia recurrentis or three-plex for the non-human Babesia spp/Anaplasma phagocytophylum/Borrelia burgdorferi. Pathogen prevalence was calculated against tick type and the geographical origin. Computational analysis was performed with Graphpad prism 5. Out of 503 tick analyzed, 21% (106) were positive for at least one pathogen. C. burnetii was the most abundant at 70% (74/106), followed by non-human Babesia at 17% (18/106), 5% (5/106) for B. burgdorferi, 7% (7/106) for other Borrelia species and <1% (1/106) for E. chaffeensis and A. phagocytophylum. B. henselae and the human infective B. microti were not detected. Rh. pulchellus was the most promiscuous one in carrying pathogens: C. burnetti, Babesia, B. burgdorferi, E. chaffeensis and A. phagocytophylum. Non-human infective Babesia were detected in all ticks except Amblyomma. Four counties had 70% of the infected ticks: Marsabit 25% (n = 26/106), Kajiado 17% (18/106), Wajir 16% (17/106) and Narok 11% (12/106). This study identified a number of tick-borne pathogens that cause febrile infections often confused with malaria. Follow-up research will be needed to determine prevalence in humans.
文摘Objectives: To evaluate quantitatively deformation of the angle of the horizontal plane of the bevel tip in new dental needles and in dental needles used in clinical procedures. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed with 360 dental needles from four different manufacturers. The needles were divided into four groups (90 per group): Group 1, Monoject;Group 2, DLP;Group 3, Badiject, and Group 4, Zeyco. The new and used needles were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy to evaluate quantitatively the deformation on the bevel. Results: All groups showed a significantly statistical difference between new needles and needles used for one or two injections
文摘The 2016 Olympic Games happened at the time of heightened fears of Zika virus (ZIKV) that was causing microcephaly in newborns in Brazil. To avert or track introduction of ZIKV in Kenya, the Ministry of Health developed a public health response that involved screening of the Kenyan contingent before and after traveling to Brazil. Of the 92 team members that were screened, all but one tested negative for ZIKV IgM and IgG. The sero-positive individual had high IgM serum titers before and after travel to Brazil. When tested for potential antibody cross-reactivity to other flaviviruses that have been reported in Kenya, the sample showed high IgM cross-reactivity to West Nile, Tick-Borne Encephalitis and Yellow Fever Virus. Our data support the low risk predictions of acquiring ZIKV that were made before the Games and will help inform risk assessments for personnel traveling to endemic regions under similar circumstances in the future.
