Search

There has been growing concern regarding the pollution of the aquatic environment with synthetic organic chemicals. Antiretroviral drugs, such as efavirenz and nevirapine, are pharmaceutical drugs and are referred to as emerging contaminants. Such drugs can be environmentally persistent and may be expected to pose potential risks to drinking water supplies. Sources of pharmaceutical drugs include effluents from Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTPs), hospital and pharmaceutical production facilities and the incorrect disposal of unused and expired medicines. Currently there are no monitoring programs and legislative guidelines for their regulations in South Africa. The aims of this study were firstly to develop a semi-quantitative method to extract and analyse efavirenz and nevirapine in the primary settling tank sludge. Secondly to use that method, and an existing method for liquid wastewater samples, to monitor the concentrations of efavirenz and nevirapine as the wastewater passes through the different stages of purification (anoxic; aerobic; pre and post chlorination) in the WWTP. This was repeated weekly over a period of 4 weeks. Thirdly, to determine if binding of efavirenz and nevirapine to the solids in the WWTP played a role in the removal of these compounds from the WWTP liquid phase. No references to the analysis of ARVDs in WWTP sludge were found in the literature. Grab samples of wastewater and sludge samples were collected from a WWTP (activated sludge treatment process) weekly for 4 weeks. Liquid samples were extracted solid phase extraction, solid samples were extracted using sonication followed by a QuEChERs clean-up. Sample extracts were then subjected to gas chromatography-time of flight mass spectrometry for analyte determination. Efavirenz concentrations entering the WWTP ranged between 5500 to almost 14 000 ng/L. The removal of efavirenz by the WWTP ranged between 27 and 71%. The largest removal occurred in the anoxic zone, smaller amounts were removed in the aerators. Slight increases in efavirenz concentrations were found after chlorination and the final effluent into the river post maturation ponds again were slightly lower. Solids were found to contain efavirenz at concentrations between 17 and 43 mg/kg dried primary settling tank sludge and it is proposed that this binding to the solids is the main mechanism of removal of efavirenz from the wastewater stream as it passes through the WWTP. Although an order of magnitude lower nevirapine concentrations displayed the opposite behaviour and gradually increased through the various stages of purification in the WWTP. Minor fluctuations occurred but the concentrations of nevirapine were higher at the effluent (between 92 and 473 ng/L) than those entering the WWTP. No nevirapine was detected in the PST sludge. The increase in nevirapine concentrations are likely to be the result of the de-conjugation of the hydroxylated metabolites of nevirapine in the WWTP, its resistance to degradation and the lack of binding of the nevirapine to the PST sludge.

In Mongolia coal fired thermal power stations produce over 90% of the country’s electricity. Three thermal power stations located in Ulaanbaatar city produce more than 80% of all electricity produced in Mongolia. The annual output of fly ash and bottom ash from these thermal power stations is about 600,000 tons. The thermal power plants in Ulaanbaatar city use coal from Baganuur and Shivee-Ovoo deposits. This research was conducted to compare morphologies of various fly ashes and pond ashes from TPS in Mongolia. Fly ashes from TPS4 and pond ashes from TPS3 and TPS4 of Ulaanbaatar city were characterized by x-ray fluorescence (XRF), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), laser particle size distribution analyzer, specific surface area measurement (BET), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The chemical compositions of the fly ashes and pond ashes indicate that they are class C ashes. Specific surface areas of the fly ashes and pond ashes varied from 1.04 to 25.2 m2/g. Radiation measurements that were performed by γ-spectroscopy indicate that the radium equivalent changed from 292 to 761 Bq/kg in the various ashes.

Background: Maternal health information handouts are used by midwives to facilitate health education of pregnant women during their antenatal care (ANC) period. South Africa’s Saving Mothers Report 2014 showed that delay in accessing medical help, as a patient-related avoidable factor, accounted for 27% of maternal and neonatal mortality. Aim: To ascertain the perceptions of pregnant women attending ANC in the Msunduzi sub-district in uMgungundlovu District, towards the maternal health information handouts. Setting: The study was conducted at three primary health care (PHC) clinics (two PHC and one CHC [Community Health Care]) that provided ANC in the Msunduzi sub-district KwaZulu-Natal, in 2019. Methods: Using a qualitative approach, focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with 10 participants from each clinic. Data were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Results: The themes explored included: availability and access of handouts, usefulness, review of handouts, alternative methods available, and family involvement. Conclusion: The authors concluded that although the maternal information handouts were given to the mothers during their maternal health visits, few of them were aware of these handouts. New strategies should be employed to deliver this vital information, as suggested by mothers. Contribution: The awareness of pregnant mothers about the information handouts contributes to the positive perinatal outcomes at clinic levels.

Malaria incidence in South Africa is highest in the three endemic provinces: KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo. The contribution to malaria transmission by several mosquito species, variation in their resting behaviours and low levels of insecticide resistance makes it necessary to periodically monitor Anopheles species assemblages and resistance phenotypes in vector populations. The aim of this study was therefore to assess Anopheles species assemblage in northern KwaZulu-Natal and to collect insecticide susceptibility data for An. arabiensis, the primary vector of malaria in that province. Anopheles specimens were collected from Mamfene, Jozini, northern KwaZulu-Natal from November 2019 to April 2021. Progeny of wild-collected An. arabiensis females were used for standard insecticide susceptibility tests and synergist bioassays. Anopheles arabiensis contributed 85.6% (n=11 062) of the total catches. Samples for subsequent insecticide susceptibility bioassays were selected from 212 An. arabiensis families. These showed low-level resistance to DDT, permethrin, deltamethrin, and bendiocarb, as well as full susceptibility to pirimiphos-methyl. Synergist bioassays using piperonyl butoxide and triphenyl phosphate suggest oxygenase-based pyrethroid and esterase-mediated sequestration of bendiocarb. These low levels of resistance are unlikely to be operationally significant at present. It is concluded that northern KwaZulu-Natal Province remains receptive to malaria transmission despite ongoing control and elimination interventions. This is due to the perennial presence of the major vector An. arabiensis and other secondary vector species. The continued detection of low-frequency insecticide resistance phenotypes in An. arabiensis is cause for concern and requires periodic monitoring for changes in resistance frequency and intensity. Significance: • Insecticide resistance in the major malaria vector Anophelesarabiensis in northern KwaZulu-Natal Province is cause for concern in terms of resistance management and ongoing vector control leading toward malaria elimination. • Despite ongoing control interventions, northern KwaZulu-Natal remains receptive to malaria owing to the perennial presence of several Anophelesvector species.

The Nguni cattle of South Africa are a Sanga breed, characterized by many eco-types and research populations that have been established in an effort to conserve the diversity within the breed. The aim of this study was to investigate the overall genetic diversity as well as similarities and differences within and between two conservation herds of the South African Nguni Cattle. Mean LD (r2) estimates were 0.413 ± 0.219 for Bartlow Combine and 0.402 ± 0.209 for Kokstad. Genome-wide average LD (r2) decreased with increasing genetic marker distance for both populations from an average of 0.76 ± 0.28 and 0.77 ± 0.27 at 0–1 kb bin to 0.31 ± 0.13 and 0.32 ± 0.13 at 900–1000 kb bin in Bartlow Combine and Kokstad populations, respectively. Variation in LD levels across autosomes was observed in both populations. The results showed higher levels of LD than previously reported in Nguni field populations and other South African breeds, especially at shorter marker distances of less than 20 kb. A total number of 77,305 and 66,237 haplotype blocks covering a total of 1570.09 Mb (61.99% genome coverage) and 1367.42 Mb (53.96% genome coverage) were detected in Bartlow Combine and Kokstad populations, respectively. A total of 18,449 haploblocks were shared between the two populations while 58,856 and 47,788 haploblocks were unique to Bartlow Combine and Kokstad populations, respectively. Effective population size (Ne) results demonstrated a rapid decrease in Ne across generations for both Bartlow Combine and Kokstad conservation herds. Two complementary methods, integrated haplotype score (iHS) and Extend Haplotype Homozygosity Test (XP-EHH), were implemented in this study to detect the selection signatures in the two herds. A total of 553 and 166 selected regions were identified in Bartlow Combine and Kokstad populations, respectively. DAVID and GO terms analysis of the regions under selection reported genes/QTLs associated with fertility, carcass weight, coat colour, immune response, and eye area pigmentation. Some genes, such as HCAR1, GNAI1, PIK3R3, WNT3, RAB5A, BOLA-N (Class IB MHC Antigen QA-2-Related), BOLA (Class IB MHC Antigen QA-2-Related), and Rab-8B, etc., were found in regions under selection in this study. Overall, the study implied reduced genetic diversity in the two herds calling for corrective measures to maintain the diversity of the South African Nguni cattle. This study presented a comprehensive analysis of the genomic architecture of South African Nguni cattle populations, providing essential genetic information of utility in the management of conservation flocks.

BackgroundHalving snakebite morbidity and mortality by 2030 requires countries to develop both prevention and treatment strategies. The paucity of data on the global incidence and severity of snakebite envenoming causes challenges in prioritizing and mobilising resources for snakebite prevention and treatment. In line with the World Health Organisation's 2019 Snakebite Strategy, this study sought to investigate Eswatini's snakebite epidemiology and outcomes, and identify the socio-geographical factors associated with snakebite risk.MethodologyProgrammatic data from the Ministry of Health, Government of Eswatini 2019-2021, was used to assess the epidemiology and outcomes of snakebite in Eswatini. We developed a snake species richness map from the occurrence data of all venomous snakes of medical importance in Eswatini that was subjected to niche modelling. We formulated four risk indices using snake species richness, various geospatial datasets and reported snakebites. A multivariate cluster modelling approach using these indices was developed to estimate risk of snakebite and the outcomes of snakebite in Eswatini.Principal findingsAn average of 466 snakebites was recorded annually in Eswatini. Bites were recorded across the entire country and peaked in the evening during summer months. Two cluster risk maps indicated areas of the country with a high probability of snakebite and a high probability of poor snakebite outcomes. The areas with the highest rate of snakebite risk were primarily in the rural and agricultural regions of the country.SignificanceThese models can be used to inform better snakebite prevention and treatment measures to enable Eswatini to meet the global goal of reducing snakebite morbidity and mortality by 50% by 2030. The supply chain challenges of antivenom affecting southern Africa and the high rates of snakebite identified in our study highlight the need for improved snakebite prevention and treatment tools that can be employed by health care workers stationed at rural, community clinics.