Search

BACKGROUND: Malaria prevalence in the highlands of Northern Tanzania is currently below 1% making this an elimination prone setting. As climate changes may facilitate increasing distribution of Anopheles mosquitoes in such settings, there is a need to monitor changes in risks of exposure to ensure that established control tools meet the required needs. This study explored the use of human antibodies against gambiae salivary gland protein 6 peptide 1 (gSG6-P1) as a biomarker of Anopheles exposure and assessed temporal exposure to mosquito bites in populations living in Lower Moshi, Northern Tanzania.METHODS: Three cross-sectional surveys were conducted in 2019: during the dry season in March, at the end of the rainy season in June and during the dry season in September. Blood samples were collected from enrolled participants and analysed for the presence of anti-gSG6-P1 IgG. Mosquitoes were sampled from 10% of the participants' households, quantified and identified to species level. Possible associations between gSG6-P1 seroprevalence and participants' characteristics were determined.RESULTS: The total number of Anopheles mosquitoes collected was highest during the rainy season (n = 1364) when compared to the two dry seasons (n = 360 and n = 1075, respectively). The gSG6-P1 seroprevalence increased from 18.8% during the dry season to 25.0% during the rainy season (χ2 = 2.66; p = 0.103) followed by a significant decline to 11.0% during the next dry season (χ2 = 12.56; p = 0.001). The largest number of mosquitoes were collected in one village (Oria), but the seroprevalence was significantly lower among the residents as compared to the rest of the villages (p = 0.039), explained by Oria having the highest number of participants owning and using bed nets. Both individual and household gSG6-P1 IgG levels had no correlation with numbers of Anopheles mosquitoes collected.CONCLUSION: Anti-gSG6-P1 IgG is a potential tool in detecting and distinguishing

BACKGROUND: High altitude settings in Eastern Africa have been reported to experience increased malaria burden due to vector habitat expansion. This study explored possible associations between malaria test positivity rates and its predictors including malaria control measures and meteorological factors at a high-altitude, low malaria transmission setting, south of Mount Kilimanjaro.METHODS: Malaria cases reported at the Tanganyika Plantation Company (TPC) hospital's malaria registers, meteorological data recorded at TPC sugar factory and data on bed nets distributed in Lower Moshi from 2009 to 2018 were studied. Correlation between bed nets distributed and malaria test positivity rates were explored by using Pearson correlation analysis and the associations between malaria test positivity rates and demographic and meteorological variables were determined by logistic regression and negative binomial regression analyses, respectively.RESULTS: Malaria cases reported at TPC hospital ranged between 0.48 and 2.26% per year and increased slightly at the introduction of malaria rapid diagnostic tests. The risk of testing positive for malaria were significantly highest among individuals aged between 6 and 15 years (OR = 1.65; 1.65 CI = 1.28-2.13; p = 0.001) and 16-30 years (OR = 1.49; CI = 1.17-1.89; p = 0.001) and when adjusted for age, the risk were significantly higher among male individuals when compared to female individuals (OR = 1.54; 1.00-1.31; p = 0.044). Malaria test positivity rates were positively associated with average monthly minimum temperatures and negatively associated with average monthly maximum temperatures (incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 1.37, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.05-1.78, p = 0.019 and IRR = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.58-0.91, p = 0.005, respectively). When analysed with one month lag for predictor variables, malaria test positivity rates were still significantly associated with average monthly minimum and maximum temperatures (IRR =

Background: Production of Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL) by bacteria is a chronic problem in a health care set up. In order to have adequate information for treatment of bacterial infections especially ESBL producing isolates, it is crucial to understand the trends in the antibiotic-resistance pattern, occurrence and their geographical spread. The objective of this study was to determine the antimicrobial resistance pattern among phenotype ESBL producing isolates in northern Tanzania. Methods: From July 2013 to January 2014, urine, pus and blood samples were collected from patients suspected to have bacterial infections at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre in Moshi, Tanzania. The isolates were identified based on standard laboratory procedures. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were carried out using various antimicrobial discs as per the recommendations of Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute. Results: A total of 330 specimens were collected. They consisted of 46 urine, 264 pus (from wound) and 20 blood samples. Among isolated bacteria, ESBL producers were 29.7% (98) and non-producers were 70.5% (232). Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were the most isolated bacteria and dominant ESBL producers. ESBL production was highly associated with moderate condition at discharge and longer periods of admission. More than 60% of the ESBL producing E. coli were resistant to ceftazidime, cefpodoxime, cefotaxime, amoxycilin, ciprofloxacin, and gentamycin. More than 80% of ESBL producing K. pneumonia and Proteus mirabilis were resistant to ceftazidime and cefotaxime. Fifty four percent of ESBL producing K. pneumonia were resistant to gentamycin. Conclusion: This study shows that ESLB phenotypes among Gram-negative bacteria are common among patients attending a tertiary hospital in northern in Tanzania. The findings suggest that clinical microbiology laboratories should take into account the diagnosis of ESBL producers in order to define the degree of the p