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Nuredin Chura Waritu,1 Suresh Kumar P Nair,2 Bihonegn Birhan2 ,† Tesfaye Adugna,2 Gesese Bogale Awgichew,2 Mohammed Jemal3 1Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Wolaita Sodo University, Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia; 2Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia; 3Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Debre Markos University, Debre Markos, Ethiopia†Bihonegn Birhan passed away on [September 19, 2023]Correspondence: Mohammed Jemal, Email mohajem9801@gmail.comBackground: Long-term use of antiretroviral therapy, especially dolutegravir and boosted-atazanavir, raises concerns about cardiovascular disease. Thus, this study aimed to assess lipid profiles, blood glucose, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels among people living with HIV on dolutegravir and ritonavir-boosted atazanavir-based therapy.Methods: An institutional-based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted from November 4, 2021, to January 4, 2022. An equal number of dolutegravir- and ritonavir-boosted atazanavir-treated patients (n = 64 each) was enrolled. A consecutive sampling was used to select participants. The Chi-square, Student’s t-test, Mann–Whitney U-test, and logistic regression were used as appropriate statistical tests using SPSS Version 25.0. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.Results: Dyslipidemia was found in 67.2% (43/64) of ritonavir-boosted atazanavir group and 48.4% (31/64) of dolutegravir group. The dolutegravir group had significantly higher mean and median values of high-density lipoprotein and random blood sugar, respectively, as well as lower median triglyceride and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels than the ritonavir-boosted atazanavir group. Ritonavir-boosted atazanavir-based regimens (AOR=3.4, 95% CI: 1.5, 8) and age > 40 years were predictors of dyslipidemia, while BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 (AOR=3.7, 95% CI: 1.3, 10.8) and dolutegravir-based regimens (AOR=4.6, 95% CI: 1.5, 14) were predictors of hyperglycemia. Ritonavir-boosted atazanavir-based regimens (ARR=3, 95% CI: 1.3, 8) and BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 (ARR=2.5, 95% CI: 1.1, 6) were associated with increased high-sensitivity C-reactive protein by 1– 3 mg/L. The risk of increased high-sensitivity C-reactive protein by > 3 mg/L was greater in those patients with a CD4 cell count of < 500 cells/mm3 (ARR=5, 95% CI: 1.1, 24).Conclusion: When compared to ritonavir-boosted atazanavir-based regimens, dolutegravir had favorable lipid profiles and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein but unfavorable blood glucose levels. Therefore, baseline blood glucose, lipid profiles, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels should be routinely measured in patients on these regimens.Keywords: high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, dolutegravir, dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, antiretroviral therapy

# Background Cancer affects every country in the world irrespective of their developmental status. Since most studies have been performed primarily in public referral hospitals, this study aimed to describe the prevalence and histopathological patterns of cancer in a private setting. Cancer is one of the most common noncommunicable diseases, and regional variations in cancer incidence are responsible for the majority of deaths. The main objective of this study was to determine the magnitude and distribution of cancer among patients at GAMBY Teaching General Hospital. # Methods This retrospective study included a total of 4320 histopathological examination results recorded from January 1, 2016, to December 30, 2020. Descriptive statistics were used to present the results. The SPSS version 26 computer software package was used for data analysis. # Results A total of 4320 examinations revealed that 895 (20.7%) patients had confirmed malignancies. A total of 655 (73.2%) of the cases were females, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:2.73. The mean age of all the confirmed cases was 49.3±14.9 years. The age range was between 2 and 85 years. The mean ages of the females and males were 47.67±13.36 and 53.19±17.93 years, respectively. The most common cancers were cervical cancer (31.9%), breast cancer (12.7%), and skin cancer (11.6%). The top five cancers in the female patients were cervical, breast, nonmelanomatous skin, thyroid, and lymph node malignancies. Among male patients’ nonmelanomatous skin cancer, lymph node malignancies, colorectal cancer, bone and soft tissue cancer, and breast cancer constituted the top five cancers. Cancer involving the lung, eye and pancreas is the least common cancer. # Conclusions The results indicate that the pattern of cancer varies significantly from the global pattern of cancer distribution, as do studies in Africa and other regions of the country. The expansion of oncologic services, health education, screening and vaccination services, advancements in diagnostic modalities, and the involvement of the private sector in the management and care of cancer patients are very important health system focuses and forces policy makers to allocate resources accordingly. This study provided good insight into this pattern, but a wider multicenter survey and evaluation of sociodemographic and environmental factors are needed to assess the reasons for the variations.

Alebachew Tilahun,1 Silto Kegno,2 Takele Adugna,1 Dinberu Mamuye3 1University of Gondar, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, Gondar, Ethiopia; 2Wolaita Sodo University, School of Veterinary Medicine, Sodo, Ethiopia; 3Dilla University, Dilla, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Alebachew Tilahun, Tel +251-949-0220-68, Email alebmen19@gmail.comPurpose: The economic and health implications of brucellosis are of particular concern in developing countries, primarily in the vulnerable sector of rural herders. A cross-sectional study was done in Boran breeds to estimate the seroprevalence of bovine brucellosis, identify risk variables and assess public health implications in Borena zone, Oromia region, Ethiopia in the questionnaire survey.Methods: The sampling animals were chosen from smallholders using a simple random sampling procedure. The study involved a total of 788 animals. Animals of both sex and different age groups with the age of 6 months or above found during the study interval were included. The Rose Bengal plate test was used to screen sera, and positive samples were subsequently retested using a Direct Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for confirmation.Results: The overall seroprevalence of bovine brucellosis was 7.6% (60/788) in the Direct Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay test. Herd size, age, history of abortion, testicular hygroma, and retained fetal membrane were statistical significance for the Brucella seropositivity (P< 0.05). Whereas, district, sex, body condition score, and management did not influence the disease occurrence (P> 0.05). The majority of the participants, 91.7% (55/60) did not aware of the zoonotic implications of brucellosis. Only 10% (6/60) of interviewed respondents disposed of aborted fetuses and retained fetal membrane properly and the rest 90% (54/60) left in the environment. Ninety percent and 83.3% of the respondents revealed that they consumed raw milk and meat, respectively.Conclusion: The presence of Brucella infection is highly correlated with age, history of abortion, and testicular hygroma. According to the collected data: sex, body condition score, district, and management had no statistically significant effect on Brucella occurrence. The majority of respondents were unaware of the disease’s zoonotic consequences. Finally, creating community awareness about its transmission, zoonotic significance, and hygienic practices were recommended.Keywords: Boran breed, bovine brucellosis, D-ELISA, seroprevalence, Rose Bengal plate test

Dejene Debela Snr,1– 3 Elias Ababulgu,4 Gaddisa Desu,1,4 Serkaddis Abebe,1 Tesfaye Adugna1,4 1Department of Internal Medicine, Fromsis Primary Hospital (FPH), Jimma, Oromia, Ethiopia; 2Department of Quality Improvement Unit, Shenen Gibe General Hospital, Jimma, Oromia, Ethiopia; 3Department of Center for Innovative Drug Development and Therapeutic Trials for Africa (CDT-Africa), College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; 4Jimma University Medical Center (JUMC), Jimma, Oromia, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Dejene Debela Addis Ababa, 9086, EthiopiaTel +251913910868Email dejene.tolossa@aau.edu.etBackground: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is commonly identified and diagnosed in the emergency department. Factors including sedentary life (immobility), pregnancy in women, cancer, postoperation, admission to ICU, smoking, and obesity are identified risks for thrombosis development. We report a case of a 35-year-old man who presented to the emergency department developing left lower leg swelling and pain, low-grade fever, and headache after he was treated and discharged, cured of severe COVID-19. Then venous and arterial Doppler ultrasound of the lower leg revealed dilated, absent flow and luminal thrombus in the distal popliteal, anterior and posterior tibial veins and perforator vessels were diagnosed as leg DVT.Conclusion: DVT is a hematological emergency that needs serious consideration in prevention as well early diagnosis in patients with possible risk factors. This case report aims to arouse the clinician’s awareness of the occurrence of deep vein thrombosis during and after COVID-19.Keywords: post-COVID-19, thromboembolism, hypercoagulability, antithrombotic drugs

Abstract Background It is crucial to consider cultural, religious, and socio-behavioural factors that may influence the acceptability of Minimally Invasive Tissues Sampling (MITS). MITS is being used to understand the causes of child death and conducted in nine countries within Africa and South Asia with the highest child mortality. Progress has been made in the development of laboratory infrastructures and training for physicians to do MITS, but many communities are concerned about the religious acceptability of taking samples from deceased children. This paper explores the acceptability of MITS in a predominantly Muslim community. Methods A qualitative study was conducted in Kersa and Harar, in Eastern Ethiopia between April 23, 2018 and April 21, 2019 where high child mortality rates have been recorded. The study involved interviews and focus groups with 76 participants, including mothers, elders, and religious leaders. In addition, observations were conducted at burial ceremonies and in grieving families’ homes. Grounded theory framework is used in this article to understand the acceptability of postmortem MITS. Results We explore cultural, religious, and socio-behavioural barriers and facilitators that may influence the acceptability of minimally invasive tissue sampling. We identify three themes relating to the acceptability of MITS: (1) Perceptions and rituals related to child death (2), Religious acceptance of post-mortem investigation, and (3) Fears and suspicions of organ theft and body mutilation. Most participants hypothetically accepted MITS, but suggested that the procedure consider religious practices. Religious leaders and parents stated that they would accept the procedure if it would help reduce child deaths. Acceptance is inconsistent and differs across time and place. Some villages accepted the procedure swiftly, only to change their views when they became aware of suspicions from other villages about the procedure disfiguring the body. Parents of deceased children were concerned that taking samples from the children’s bodies would delay the burial. Conclusions Mortality surveillance requires a thorough understanding of the cultural, religious, and sociocultural aspects that may affect the acceptability of MITS. MITS research should be conducted close to communities, involving community members, incorporating religious perspectives, and promoting health outreach campaigns to facilitate sociocultural perceptions of the research activities.

Thirty-yearling Menz lambs with average initial body weight of 19.72 ± 1.96 kg (Mean ± SD) were used to evaluate the effects of supplementing mung bean haulms (MBH) and concentrate mixture (CM) on feed intake, body weight gain and carcass characteristics of lambs fed a basal diet of natural pasture hay. The lambs were assigned into five treatments in a randomized complete block design as follows: 226 CM (T1), 77 MBH + 192 CM (T2), 154 MBH + 156 CM (T3), 231 MBH + 120 CM (T4), 308 MBH + 87 CM (T5) grams on dry matter basis. Total dry matter (DM), organic matter and metabolizable energy intakes were increased (p 0.05) among treatments. Feed conversion efficiency for T2 was higher (p

Abstract Background This paper documents changes in the prevalence and intensity of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections in the Geshiyaro project in the Wolaita zone of Southern Ethiopia. Methods The Geshiyaro project comprises three intervention arms. Arm 1 is subdivided into the Arm 1 pilot (one district) and Arm 1 (four other districts), both receiving integrated community-wide mass drug administration MDA (cMDA) with intensive water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) interventions. Arm 2 involves 18 districts with cMDA interventions plus the existing government-led One WaSH program, while Arm 3 serves as a control with school-based MDA (sMDA) interventions plus the existing government-led One WaSH program in three districts. The study is designed as a cohort investigation over time, with the establishment of longitudinal sentinel sites where infection levels are assessed annually. A total of 45 longitudinal parasitological surveillance sentinel sites are being used across all three intervention arms to monitor STH prevalence and intensity of infection. From each of the 45 sentinel sites, 150 individuals were randomly selected, stratified by age and gender. The t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were employed to compare infection prevalence and intensity across the three study arms over time. Results The prevalence of STH decreased significantly from 34.5% (30.6%, 38.5%) in 2019 to 10.6% (8.3%, 13.4%) in 2022/2023 (df = 1, P

Introduction The WHO neglected tropical diseases (NTD) roadmap (2021–2030) proposed a shift in approach to addressing NTDs through accountability for impact, implementing integration across NTDs, mainstreaming in national health systems and ensuring country ownership. However, a major challenge has been the dearth of evidence on how to implement this shift in a resource-limited setting. The objective of this scoping review is to understand the extent and type of evidence on the mainstreaming or integration of programmes and/or interventions against NTDs into the national health system.Methods Research articles of any methodology, series, evaluations and reports published from 1995 in the English language on any peer-reviewed platforms, and WHO, universities and government or implementing partners websites that report and discuss mainstreaming or integration implementation practices or experiences of any interventions against NTDs into the health system will be included. The main databases searched on 30 October 2024 were Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), Global Health (Ovid), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and CENTRAL on the Cochrane Library (Wiley), and WHO Global Index Medicus. Following piloting, screening and data extraction will be undertaken independently by at least two people. Any disagreements that arise between the reviewers at each stage of the screening and selection process will be resolved through discussion, or with an additional reviewer/s. Thematic analysis will be conducted guided by the project INTEGRATE framework and the Primary Health Care Performance Initiative conceptual framework. Key information or evidence relevant to the mainstreaming of interventions against NTDs into the health system such as mainstreamed interventions and the level of health system where the mainstreaming occurred, the effectiveness of the mainstreaming, contextual differences in health system organisation between settings, and challenges and promising practices will be summarised.Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval will not be sought as our review will only include published data. The findings will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and will be disseminated at national and international research and programme review platforms.

The study was carried out to evaluate the availability, use as livestock feed and nutritional value of fruit waste in a few chosen urban (within) and peri-urban (around) areas of West Arsi and Sidama Regional State, Ethiopia. The study areas were chosen using a muti-stage purposive sampling technique and 306 respondents in total-102 from each of Shashemene, Hawassa and Yirgalem-were randomly chosen and interviewed. We used established methodology to examine the nutritional values of six (avocado seed, avocado peel with pulp, papaya pomace, mango, pineapple and banana peels) commonly used fruit waste (FBPs) samples for chemical composition and digestibility analysis. Chi-square was used to examine qualitative results while two-way analyses of variance were used for quantitative factors. Avocado, banana, mango, papaya and pineapple waste were the major useable FBPs for feeding livestock. These wastes were fed to livestock after chopping and wilting without mixing to other feeds. Perishability, health concern, shortage of storage facilities and knowledge were the major limitations whereas low price, high demands, good quality, palatability, use as a source of income and reduction in environmental pollution were the major opportunities for feeding livestock. The range of crude protein (CP) contents were from 5.49 to 19.51 % where papaya pomace contained the highest (p

Livestock production is a major contributor to the national economy in Ethiopia, of which ruminants, particularly cattle, are the dominant and most important livestock species. Limited supply of quality feeds is a major constraint to the improvement of livestock production in Ethiopia. The expansion of agro-industries in Ethiopia, over the last three decades, has created an opportunity for an increased supply of agro-industrial byproducts as a source of feed for livestock. This study was conducted to assess the availability, distribution, and quality of agro-industrial byproducts and compound feeds in Ethiopia. About 310 flour mill factories, 194 oil factories, 13 brewery factories, 7 sugar factories, 4 malt factories, 2 meat and bone meal processing plants, 8 limestone factories, and 112 feed processing plants were surveyed to assess the availability and distributions of agro-industrial byproducts and compound feeds. A total of 757 feed samples were collected for evaluating nutritional values. The annual production of agro-industrial byproducts ranges from 18,065 tons DM/year (abattoir byproducts) to 3,092,035 tons DM/year (malt byproducts) and the total annual production of the different agro-industrial by-products amounts to 5,245,854 tons DM. The annual production of compound feeds was reported to be 5,812,608 tons DM. All agro-industries are processing under their capacity, ranging from 11.7% in sugar factories to 93% in breweries. Shortage and seasonal fluctuation of supply of raw materials (34.8%), high price and price fluctuations of raw materials (17.5%) and electric power interruptions (17.5%) were the major challenges faced by different agro-industries. The crude protein (CP) concentrations of agro-industrial byproducts ranges from 6.2% in maize grain screening to 15.9% in wheat bran for flour mill byproducts; 28% in cotton seed cake to 49.7% in groundnut cake for oilseed cakes and 14.8% in areqe atela to 24.8% in brewery spent grains for brewery and local distillery byproducts. High protein or energy contents of agro-industrial byproducts indicated their potential to be utilized in intensive livestock rations. Thus, it is necessary to create enabling conditions to allow the existing agro-industries to operate at full capacity and to attract new ones into the business to boost the production and availability of agro-industrial byproducts needed as main inputs to manufacture compound feeds.

Abstract Background This paper describes changes in the prevalence and intensity of schistosome parasite infections in a project integrating mass drug administration (MDA), water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH), and behavioral change interventions. Methods The Geshiyaro Project comprises three intervention arms. Arm 1 is subdivided into “Arm 1 pilot” (one district) and Arm 1 (four other districts), both receiving integrated community-wide MDA with intensive WaSH interventions. Arm 2 involves 17 districts with community-wide MDA interventions, while Arm 3 serves as a control with school-based MDA interventions in three districts. A total of 150 individuals, stratified by age group, were randomly selected from each of the 45 sentinel sites. Arm sizes were 584 (Arm 1 pilot), 1636 (Arm 1), 2203 (Arm 2), and 2238 (Arm 3). Statistical tests were employed to compare infection prevalence and intensity across the different arms. Results The prevalence of schistosome parasite infection ranged from 0% to 2.6% and from 1.7% to 25.7% across districts, employing the Kato-Katz (KK) and point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen (POC-CCA) diagnostics, respectively. The mean infection intensity level showed no marked difference between baseline and follow-up surveys when measured by KK, except in Arm 2 (t = 6.89, P

Abstract Background Following global pledges to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 30% by 2030 compared to the baseline level of 2020, improved quantification of GHG emissions from developing countries has become crucial. However, national GHG inventories in most Sub-Saharan African countries use default (Tier I) emission factors (EFS) generated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to estimate enteric CH4 emissions from animal agriculture. The present study provides an improved enteric CH4 emission estimate (Tier II) based on animal energy requirements derived from animal characteristics and performance data collected from about 2500 cattle in 480 households from three smallholder farming systems to represent the common dairy farming in the central highlands of Ethiopia. Using average seasonal feed digestibility data, we estimated daily methane production by class of animal and farming system and subsequently generated improved EF. Results Our findings revealed that the estimated average EF and emission intensities (EI) vary significantly across farming systems. The estimated value of EF for adult dairy cows was 73, 69, and 34 kg CH4/cow/year for urban, peri-urban, and rural farming systems, respectively. Rural dairy farming had significantly higher emission intensity (EI) estimated at 1.78 CO2-eq per kg of fat protein-corrected milk (FPCM) than peri-urban and urban 0.71 and 0.64 CO2-eq kg−1 FPCM dairy farming systems, respectively. The EF estimates in this study are lower than the IPCC's (2019) default value for both stall-fed high-productive and dual-purpose low-productive cows. Conclusions The current findings can be used as a baseline for the national emission inventory, which can be used to quantify the effects of future interventions, potentially improving the country's commitment to reducing GHG emissions. Similarly, this study suggests that increased animal productivity through improved feed has a considerable mitigation potential for reducing enteric methane emissions in smallholder dairy farming systems in the study area.

Background: Natural pasture is an essential source of livestock feed worldwide, particularly in Ethiopia. Though pastureland coverage and management practices are changing over time, studies are limited in addressing the status under the dynamics of smallholder management conditions. Objective: To evaluate natural pasture botanical composition, biomass yield, and nutritional value under different management and stages of harvesting in the central highlands of Ethiopia. Methodology: The pasture was harvested at three stages (pre-flowering, mid-flowering, and after full flowering) under different management (extensive, semi-intensive where urea was used as a fertilizer, and seasonal grazing). Quadrats of 0.25 m2 were used for herbaceous species identification, biomass yield estimation and nutritive value analysis. Chemical composition of the samples were analyzed using Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy. Results: Thirty-one herbaceous species were identified (38.71% grasses, 19.35% legumes, 9.67% sedges, and 32.26% forbs), which belong to 11 families. The total biomass yield under semi-intensive management practice at full maturity stage was greater than seasonally grazed and extensively managed pasture. The species richness, species evenness Shannon-Wiener diversity (H’ max) and maximum possible diversity (H’max) were similar (P>0.05) under all management practices. Natural pasture condition score was fair under seasonal grazing, while the score was excellent under extensive and semi-intensive management. Metabolizable energy (ME), and in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) were higher (P

The foliage of browse species and forage legumes has good nutritional value and can be utilized as a protein source in ruminant diets. However, its efficient utilization requires the establishment of a comprehensive database of feeding values. Two databases, i.e., forage nutritive value (92 studies) and in vivo animal performance (62 feeding experiments), were built to assess the feeding value of the foliage of browse species and cultivated forage legumes in Ethiopia. The forage nutritive value data (chemical composition and in vitro digestibility) were summarized as descriptive statistics. The analysis of in vivo data was conducted using a mixed model procedure with fixed (forage supplement) and random (studies) factors. Forage categories had crude protein (CP) ranging from 17.6 ± 5.2% (indigenous browse species) to 22.4 ± 4.5% (multipurpose fodder tree/shrub species), respectively. Variations were observed in CP values between the vegetative and blooming stage harvesting of herbaceous forages (22.7 ± 4.1% versus 19.8 ± 3.5%). The leaves contained more CP than the twigs in multipurpose fodder tree/shrubs (22.8 ± 3.2% versus 18.8 ± 0.6%) and the pods in indigenous browse species (18.0 ± 5.0% versus 15.3 ± 2.3%). However, the greatest mean in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) of 70.1 ± 10.8% was observed in the foliage of indigenous browse species. The variation in IVOMD was small among the forage categories (61.2 ± 11.2%–63.5 ± 10.8%). Twigs of the multipurpose fodder tree/shrub species had the lowest IVOMD of 53.0 ± 6.9%. Herbaceous forage legumes tended to have higher NDF and ADF values than the other forage categories. In terms of nutrient concentration and digestibility, large variations were observed within the same forage categories and species. The supplementation of forage, on average at 277.5 ± 101.4 g/day (±SD), to a low-quality basal diet resulted in a significant (p < 0.05) improvement in the apparent digestibility of DM, CP, and NDF as well as the daily intake of DM, CP, and metabolizable energy (ME). The application of sole forage supplementation was determined to have comparable effects on DM intake (p = 0.2347) with dietary supplements based on concentrate feedstuffs. However, CP intake (p = 0.0733) tended to be lower for forage over the concentrate treatment. The averaged daily gain (ADG) of the animals was significantly increased (p < 0.05) by 71.2% due to the forage supplement compared to unsupplemented treatment (11.6 ± 5.47 g/d (±SE) vs. 40.3 ± 4.99 g/d (±SE)). Overall, the nutrient utilization and production performance of animals fed with low-quality basal diets could be improved when an appropriate amount of forage is included as supplement. The large variation recorded in the nutritional composition of browse species and forage legumes could provide an opportunity to screen for species and varieties with superior nutritional quality.

Background: Green fodder followed by crop residue, agro-industrial by-products and non-conventional feeds make a large contribution to livestock feeding in Ethiopia. Objective: To identify and estimate chemical composition of major feed resources in south western Ethiopia. Methodology: The study was conducted in the highland, midland and lowlands of south western Ethiopia. A total of 26 indigenous browse and 12 grass species, 3 crop residues, 3 cereal grain mill by-products and 8 non-conventional feeds (2 local brewery by-products, 6 enset, vegetable and fruit by-product) were identified for this study. Triplicate feed samples were collected and assessed for nutrient analysis. Results: Crop residues in highlands and, natural pasture followed by crop residues and browses in midland and lowland agro-ecologies were the dominant feed resources. Most browse species, few indigenous grass species, Colocasia esculenta L., Enset ventricosum (Welw.) Cheesem, Ipomoea batatas L. leaves, and local brewery by-products possessed crude protein (CP) content >110 g kg−1 dry matter (DM). Conversely, CP concentration of Acokanthera schimperi (A.DC.) Benth. and Bridelia micrantha (Hochst.) Baill. across all agro-ecologies, crop residues, grass species in the lowlands, sugar cane leaf, banana peel and cereal grain screenings was 550 g kg−1 DM. All the tested feed resources but, Ricinus communis L., Acacia oerfota (Forssk.) Schweinf., Rhus natalensis Krauss and Balanites aegyptiaca L. possessed

ObjectivesDeworming programmes of soil-transmitted helminths are generally monitored and evaluated by aggregating drug coverage and infection levels at a district level. However, heterogeneity in drug coverage at finer spatial scales means indicators may remain above thresholds for elimination as a public health problem or of transmission in some areas. This paper aims to highlight the misleading information that aggregating data at larger spatial scales can have for programme decision making.MethodsDrug coverage data from the Geshiyaro project were compared at two spatial scales with reference to the World Health Organisation's targets. District (woreda) and village (kebele) level were compared. The association between infection levels and drug coverage was analysed by fitting a weighted least-squares function to the mean intensity of infection (eggs per gram of faeces) against drug coverage.ResultsThe data show clearly that when the evaluation of coverage is aggregated to the district level, information on heterogeneity at a finer spatial scale is lost. Infection intensity decreases significantly (p = 0.0023) with increasing drug coverage.ConclusionAggregating data at large spatial scales can result in prematurely ceasing deworming, prompting rapid infection bounce-back. There is a strong need to define context-specific spatial scales for monitoring and evaluating intervention programmes.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of different preservatives on nutrient content, organic matter digestibility (OMD), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), short-chain fatty acid (SCFA), yeast, mold, and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) concentrations of wet brewery grain (WBG). The experiment was undertaken for 28-days using five treatments (T); T1 = no preservative; T2 = 1.75% salt; T3 = 2.5% molasses; T4 = 2.5% Effective Microbial (EM) and T5 = 0.6% formic acid. Data was analyzed using a completely randomized two way factorial design of the mixed procedure of SAS (Version 9.1, 2001). The highest dry matter loss was for WBG stored with T1, while the lowest was for WBG treated with T5. WBG treated with T5 had the highest crude protein content, while those with T1 had the lowest. OMD of WBG treated with T5 was higher than T4. SCFA content of WBG treated with T3 was higher than those T4. WBG stored with T1 and T3 had a higher NH3N content than T4 and T5. WBG stored with T1 had the highest yeast and mold concentration, while WBG treated with T5 had the least. The highest LAB count was recorded for WBG treated with T5, while the least was for T1 and T3. Results has shown that preserving WBG with 0.6% formic acid is found to be more effective in terms of preventing spoilage by inhibiting mold and yeast growth as compared to other preservatives used in this study.

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of drinking water salinity levels on water intake and loss, feed intake and digestion, body weight (BW), thermoregulation, and blood characteristics on growing and mature (18.8 ± 0.39 and 21.8 ± 0.40 kg BW, and 0.6–1 and 1.5–2 years of age, respectively) Blackhead Ogaden sheep and Somali goats. The animals were assigned to a 4 (water salinity) × 2 (sheep and goat species) × 2 (growing and mature animals) factorial arrangement for the 60-day experimental period and 10-day digestibility determination. Water treatments were fresh water (FRW) and low (SW-L), moderate (SW-M), and high (SW-H) levels of salinity (i.e., the addition of NaCl to obtain 10, 13.5, and 17 g of total dissolved salts (TDSs)/L, respectively). The salinity of drinking water did not affect feed intake, BW, thermoregulatory traits (respiration rate, rectal temperature, and heart rate), or blood parameters (p > 0.05); however, drinking water, total water intake, urine excretion, and total water loss increased (p < 0.01) while apparent dry matter digestibility decreased quadratically (p < 0.01) with increasing water salinity. Analysis of the interaction between water treatment and species showed that PCV (p = 0.059) and hemoglobin (p = 0.070) levels tended to be higher in sheep than in goats drinking FRW, and AST activities were greater (p = 0.036) in goats consuming SW-M than in sheep consuming water with the same salinity level. In conclusion, increasing the salinity level of drinking water by adding NaCl to up to 17 g/L of TDSs had no adverse effect on the water intake, feed intake, BW, and health status of growing and mature Blackhead Ogaden sheep and Somali goats.

Background. Different forage innovations have been used to alleviate livestock feed shortage in Ethiopia. Napier, Rhodes, and Desho grasses are the most widely cultivated forage grasses in the backyard system. Objective. To evaluate the effect of harvesting age of Urochloa grass cultivar/ accessions on morphology, forage yield, chemical composition at Wolaita Sodo State dairy farm, Ethiopia. Methodology. The experiment involved a 5 × 3 factorial arrangement in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications, three harvesting ages (60, 90, and 120 days of age), and five Urochloa grass cultivars/ accessions (Urochloa hybrid 'Mulato II', Urochloa mutica (Forssk.) T.Q. Nguyen, Urochloa brizantha (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) R.D. Webster 'acce. no. DZF13151', Urochloa brizantha (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) R.D. Webster 'Piata' and Urochloa brizantha (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) R.D. Webster 'acce no. DZF16550') during 2020˗2021. Results. Plant height and number of leaves were greater (P

Abstract Background Malnutrition among children under five years of age is a major public health issue in many low and middle-income constrained countries. According to WHO, 5.3 million under-five children die every year and about 45% of these deaths are linked to malnutrition. While it is clear that poverty and lack of food are important factors in children’s malnutrition, less is known about the ways in which local conceptions of malnutrition affect parents’ treatment choices. In Ethiopia, child malnutrition is a severe public health problem and a common cause of child death, and this paper explores the local views of malnutrition and how these shape people’s health-seeking behaviour. Methods The study was conducted in eastern Ethiopia from December 2017 to January 2019, conducting interviews and focus group discussions to explore different views and treatment options malnutrition. The study used grounded theory because it allows new and unexpected themes to arise from the data. Researchers’ assumptions on local terminologies of child malnutrition are also controlled as a principle of ground theory. Results Child malnutrition was not only perceived to be related to lack of food but was understood in a wider local conceptualization of health and illness. Parents often relied on healers because they are long-standing members of the community, possess indigenous knowledge, and cost less than other options. Because health professionals and the community perceive and speak of health very differently, people often do not seek support from health services. The misalignments between how health professionals and healers diagnose and treat malnourished children have implications on the possibilities to implement change to reduce malnutrition. Conclusions Through an exploration of people’s own terminology and understandings of what a malnourished child is, as well as the underlying reasons for their illness, this paper explores how people understand malnutrition symptoms and why many tend to rely on healers rather than seeking care from health centres.

Sustainable livestock farming practices have the potential to improve productivity and high income, reduce greenhouse gases, and improve household food security. Despite previous efforts to disseminate these technologies, the rate of adoption has remained very low in Ethiopia. In this study, we investigate the determinants of adoption and the impact of improved dairy farming practices (IDFP), which include improved breed, improved feed, and improved feeding conditions, on household food security in the central highland of Ethiopia. Methods: A multi-stage stratified random sampling technique was used to select 480 smallholder farmers from four districts. The study employed principal component analysis (PCA) to group IDFPs, and the endogenous switching regression model (MESR) was used to examine household food security status. Results: Our findings showed that IDFP adoption had a significant and positive impact on per capita food consumption and increases the likelihood of smallholder farmers being food secure compared to non-adopters. The adoption of integrated IDFP had a greater impact on household food security when smallholder farmers used a package that incorporates improved breeds, feeds, and feeding systems (B1F1S1). The implementation of this package increased food security by 31% in terms of household food consumption score (HFCS) and 26% in terms of household diet diversity score (HDDS). Additionally, the size of livestock holdings, off-farm income, extension services, and milk collection centers all influenced the adoption decision of this package. Conclusions: It has been confirmed that improving dairy farming practices for sustainable development can significantly contribute to the food security of smallholder farmers when used in combination. Interventions that address access to farm resources, the supply chain for technological inputs and services, and output markets may assist in the adoption of dairy technologies.

Protein supplements are expensive and not easily accessible under small-scale livestock production systems in Ethiopia and other developing countries, which necessitates investigating the alternative protein sources for cost-effective livestock production. Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp) leaves (PPLs) are rich in protein and are well-suited for feeding small ruminants; however, the effect of inclusion of PPL in the concentrate mixture (CM) on the performance of dairy cows was not well documented. This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of supplementation of PPL and CM to native pasture hay-based rations on feed intake, milk yield and composition, and blood metabolites of crossbred dairy cows (Holstein × Zebu). A 4 × 4 Latin square design with three replications, balanced for carryover effects, was used for this study. The treatments included native pasture hay provided ad libitum as a basal diet, supplemented with a CM alone (T1), the inclusion of 10% of PPL in the CM (T2), 20% PPL in the CM (T3), or 30% PPL in the CM (T4). Supplements were isocaloric and isonitrogenous. Total DM intake (hay + supplement intake) was similar (P > 0.05) among treatments. Hay intake was greater (P = 0.05) for T1 and T2 than for T4, while supplement intake was the least for T1 (P 0.05) supplement intake. Feed intake, milk yield and composition, feed conversion efficiency, body condition score, serum total protein, albumin, globulin, glucose, triglyceride, urea N, creatinine, and cholesterol were similar (P > 0.05) among treatments. The inclusion of up to 30% of PPL in the CM resulted in a comparable performance of crossbred dairy cows as supplementation with CM under the conditions of the current experiment. Therefore, further study is required to evaluate the effect of the inclusion of a higher level of PPL in the concentrate mixture on the performance of lactating crossbred dairy cows.

The experiment was conducted with the objective of investigating the effect of graded levels of wheat bran (WB) and noug seed cake (NSC) mixtures on carcass yield and characteristics of local Arsi-Bale sheep fed urea treated maize cob (UTMC). The experiment consisted of digestibility and ninety days of feeding trials followed by evaluation of carcass components at the end of these trials. Twenty yearling male sheep were used as experimental animals in this research. The experimental design was randomized complete block design. The treatments were ad libitum feeding of UTMC (T1) and supplementation with mixtures of WB and NSC at a ratio of 2WB:1NSC offered at 150 g (T2), 250 g (T3) and 350 g DM/head /day (T4). Water and salt were offered free choice and UTMC was given ad libitum throughout the experimental period. The result indicated that dressing percentage on slaughter weight (SWT) and hot carcass weight (HCW) basis was higher (P

Background: Mortality rates for children under five years of age, and stillbirth risks, remain high in parts of sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) network aims to ascertain causes of child death in high child mortality settings (>50 deaths/1000 live-births). We aimed to develop a “greenfield” site for CHAMPS, based in Harar and Kersa, in Eastern Ethiopia. This very high mortality setting (>100 deaths/1000 live-births in Kersa) had limited previous surveillance capacity, weak infrastructure and political instability. Here we describe site development, from conception in 2015 to the end of the first year of recruitment. Methods: We formed a collaboration between Haramaya University and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and engaged community, national and international partners to support a new CHAMPS programme. We developed laboratory infrastructure and recruited and trained staff. We established project specific procedures to implement CHAMPS network protocols including; death notifications, clinical and demographic data collection, post-mortem minimally invasive tissue sampling, microbiology and pathology testing, and verbal autopsy. We convened an expert local panel to determine cause-of-death. In partnership with the Ethiopian Public Health Institute we developed strategies to improve child and maternal health. Results: Despite considerable challenge, with financial support, personal commitment, and effective partnership, we successfully initiated CHAMPS. One year into recruitment (February 2020), we had received 1173 unique death notifications, investigated 59/99 MITS-eligible cases within the demographic surveillance site, and assigned an underlying and immediate cause of death to 53 children. Conclusions: The most valuable data for global health policy are from high-mortality settings, but initiating CHAMPS has required considerable resource. To further leverage this investment, we need strong, sustained, local research leadership, and to broaden the scientific remit. To support this, we have set up a new collaboration, the “Hararghe Health Research Partnership”.

Background. In mixed crop livestock farming systems in Ethiopia, sorghum stover and other crop residues are a strategic livestock feed resource. Farmer’s decisions and intensity of use of sorghum stover for feed than other uses are closely associated with biophysical and socioeconomic characteristics. Objective. This study explores determinants of sorghum biomass uses for livestock feed in three major sorghum growing agroecological zones of Ethiopia. Methodology. Tobit and double hurdle models were run and likelihood ratio test was performed to select most suitable estimation technique. Result. Allocation of sorghum stover for feed showed a significant association with sorghum growing agro-ecological zones, highest in the lowland (86.73%) and the lowest in highland sorghum growing agroecological area (61.75%). Econometric model result revealed that among other factors; availability of feed from grazing and other crop residues had a negative effect on decision to use and intensity of use of sorghum stover for feed. Household’s livestock ownership and family size had positive effects. Implication. Decision variables influenced household’s decision and intensity on use of sorghum stover for feed at three major sorghum growing zone differently. Conclusion. Knowledge generated through this study may help any research and development efforts to enhance productivity of sorghum biomass for livestock feed and livestock improvement strategies. Keywords: Agroecology; Crop residue; Econometric models; Feed resources; Sorghum stover. Keywords: Agroecology; Crop residue; Econometric models; Feed resources; Sorghum stover.

A study was conducted to assess botanical composition, biomass yield, nutritive value and methane production of forages in the grasslands of Kofele district in West Arsi Zone of Oromia National Regional State, southern Ethiopia. Three patches of the grassland including protected grassland, private grazing land used by smallholder farmers and ranch were selected for the study to represent three different grazing land management practices. Quadrats of 0.5 m × 0.5 m were used to determine biomass yield and collect samples of herbaceous forages from each site (12 quadrats from each site). For woody species four 10 m × 10 m plots were established along transect of 200 m with 20 m distance between plots to identify available species (in the ranch only). A total of 20 herbaceous species were identified, out of which 45% were grasses, 15% legumes, 10% sedges and 30% forbs. Out of 17 browse species identified in the ranch, 47.1% were trees while 52.9% were shrubs. The total biomass production from protected grassland (4.34 t/ha) was higher (P

IntroductionThe Geshiyaro project aims to break transmission of soil-transmitted helminths and schistosomiasis in the Wolaita Zone of Ethiopia through a combination of two interventions: behavior change communication (BCC) for increased water, sanitation and hygiene (WaSH) infrastructure use alongside preventive chemotherapy (PC) using albendazole (ALB) and praziquantel (PZQ), targeted to reach 90% treatment coverage. Coverage evaluation surveys (CES) were conducted post-treatment, and the resultant survey coverage was compared to reported administrative coverage. This provided a secondary confirmation of the Geshiyaro project coverages, and is used to monitor the success of each Mass Drug Administration (MDA) round.MethodsA community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 13 woredas (districts) of the Wolaita Zone. All eligible individuals from the selected households were invited for an interview. The study design, sample size, analysis and report writing were conducted according to the World Health Organization (WHO) CES guidelines for PC.ResultsThe study interviewed a total of 3,568 households and 18,875 individuals across 13 woredas in the Wolaita Zone. Overall, the survey coverage across all studied woredas was 81.5% (95% CI; 80.9-82.0%) for both ALB and PZQ. Reported administrative coverage across all studied woredas was higher than survey coverage, 92.7% and 91.2% for ALB and PZQ, respectively. A significant portion of individuals (17.6%) were not offered PC. The predominant reason for not achieving the target coverage of 90% was beneficiary absenteeism during MDA (6.6% ALB, 6.8% PZQ), followed by drug distributors failing to reach all households (4.7% ALB, 4.8% PZQ), and beneficiaries not informed of the program (1.3% ALB, 1.7% PZQ).ConclusionProgrammatic actions will need to be taken during the next MDA campaign to achieve the targeted Geshiyaro project coverage threshold across data collection and program engagement. Adequate training and supervision on recording and reporting administrative coverage should be provided, alongside improved social mobilization of treated communities to increase participation, and strengthened institutional partnerships and communication.

Background. Nowadays, in Ethiopia crop production is the dominant practice and indigenous browse species can make a large contribution to livestock feeding during dry season. However, few researches has been undertaken on the nutritional value of indigenous multipurpose browse species in this region, which means indigenous knowledge of multipurpose browse species is not strongly supported by scientific information. Objective. A study was conducted in the highland and lowlands of north western Ethiopia, to assess farmers’ preference criteria, farmer’s preference between the indigenous multipurpose browse species and the relationship of farmers’ knowledge of multipurpose browse species (MPBs) foraging value with laboratory result. Methodology. Group discussions, preference ranking and scoring by a total of 60 farmers were conducted in two agro-ecologies. Result. The farmers’ preference among MPB species which are browsed by cattle sheep and goat were determined considering availability, biomass yield, foraging value, palatability, multi-functionality and growth and re-growth ability. In the highland, the comparison among indigenous MPB species for their benefits and desired tree characteristics showed that farmers preferred Albizia gummifera for its availability and multi-functionality. In terms of feed value, growth and re-growth ability and palatability, the score for Vernonia amygdalina was higher than other MPB species. Ficus thonningii was preferred for its biomass yield. There was also a strong relationship between farmers’ feed value score and laboratory results. Farmers were able to differentiate effectively MPB species that had high and low protein content and in vitro digestibility using their indigenous feed value indicator system. In lowland, the score for Ficus sycomorus followed by Piliostigma thonningii was higher for availability and Cordia africana was scored higher for multi-functionality and growth and re-growth ability. In terms of feed value and palatability, Piliostigma thonningii has the highest score. Albizia malacophylla was preferred and rated highest for biomass yield. But, the laboratory indicators were non-correlated (P > 0. 05) with the farmers’ assessment of feed value score. Implication. The result of this study confirms that farmers have their own criteria to evaluate browse species and can differentiate the browse species that had high and low fiber content based on their indigenous knowledge. Conclusion. Therefore, we conclude that when incorporating locally available resources, farmers’ preference criteria and indigenous knowledge is vital to efficiently utilize indigenous MPB species and to tackle feed shortage in the study area. Antecedentes. Hoy en día, en Etiopía, la producción de cultivos es la práctica dominante y las especies de ramoneras indígenas pueden hacer una gran contribución a la alimentación del ganado durante la estación seca. Sin embargo, se han realizado pocas investigaciones sobre el valor nutricional de las especies autóctonas de ramoneo multipropósito en esta región, lo que significa que el conocimiento indígena de las especies de ramoneadores multipropósito no está fuertemente respaldado por información científica. Objetivo. Se realizó un estudio en las tierras altas y bajas del noroeste de Etiopía, para evaluar los criterios de preferencia de los agricultores, la preferencia de los agricultores entre las especies autóctonas de ramoneo multipropósito y la relación entre el conocimiento de los agricultores sobre el valor de búsqueda de especies de ramilletes multipropósito (MPB) con los resultados de laboratorio. Metodología. Se llevaron a cabo discusiones grupales, clasificación de preferencias y puntuación por un total de 60 agricultores en dos agroecologías. Resultados. La preferencia de los agricultores entre las especies de MPB que son buscadas por ganado ovino y caprino se determinó considerando la disponibilidad, el rendimiento de biomasa, el valor de forrajeo, la palatabilidad, la multifuncionalidad y la capacidad de crecimiento y rebrote. En las tierras altas, la comparación entre las especies autóctonas de MPB por sus beneficios y las características deseadas de los árboles mostró que los agricultores preferían Albizia gummifera por su disponibilidad y multifuncionalidad. En términos de valor alimenticio, capacidad de crecimiento y rebrote y palatabilidad, la puntuación de Vernonia amygdalina fue más alta que la de otras especies de MPB. Se prefirió Ficus thonningii por su rendimiento de biomasa. También hubo una fuerte relación entre la puntuación del valor del pienso de los agricultores y los resultados de laboratorio. Los agricultores pudieron diferenciar de manera efectiva las especies de MPB que tenían alto y bajo contenido de proteína y digestibilidad in vitro utilizando su sistema de indicador de valor alimenticio indígena. En las tierras bajas, la puntuación para Ficus sycomorus seguida de Piliostigma thonningii fue más alta en disponibilidad y Cordia africana obtuvo una puntuación más alta en multifuncionalidad y capacidad de crecimiento y rebrote. En términos de valor alimenticio y palatabilidad, Piliostigma thonningii tiene la puntuación más alta. Se prefirió Albizia malacophylla y obtuvo la calificación más alta en cuanto a rendimiento de biomasa. Sin embargo, los indicadores de laboratorio no estaban correlacionados (P> 0.05) con la evaluación de los agricultores del puntaje del valor del alimento. Implicación. El resultado de este estudio confirma que los agricultores tienen sus propios criterios para evaluar las especies de ramoneras y pueden diferenciar las especies de ramoneras que tenían un contenido alto y bajo de fibra según su conocimiento indígena. Conclusión. Por lo tanto, llegamos a la conclusión de que al incorporar los recursos disponibles localmente, los criterios de preferencia de los agricultores y el conocimiento indígena son vitales para utilizar de manera eficiente las especies nativas de MPB y abordar la escasez de alimento en el área de estudio.

IntroductionClimate change affects livestock production and productivity, which could threaten livestock-based food security in pastoral and agro-pastoral production systems of the tropics and sub-tropics. Boran cattle breed is one of the hardiest Zebu cattle reared by Borana Oromo pastoralists for milk and meat production. However, there is limited comprensive information on production, reproduction and adaption traits of the Boran cattle in Ethiopia. Thus, this paper aims to compile the main production, reproduction and some adaptation traits of Boran cattle based on systematic review and meta-analysis of peer reviewed published and unpublished literature.MethodologyA combination of systematic review and meta-analysis based on PRISMA guideline was employed. Accordingly, out of 646 recorded articles identified through database searching, 64 were found to be eligible for production, reproduction and adaptation characteristics of the Boran cattle, 28 articles were included in qualitative systematic review while 36 articles were used for quantitative meta-analysis.ResultThe Boran cattle breed has the ability to survive, produce and reproduce under high ambient temperature, utilize low quality forage resources, and resist water shortage or long watering intervals and tick infestations. The review revealed that the breed employs various adaptation responses (morphological, physiological, biochemical, metabolic, cellular and molecular responses) to cope with harsh environmental conditions including climate change, rangeland degradation, seasonal feed and water shortages and high incidences of tick infestations. The meta-analysis using a random-effects model allowed provision of pooled estimates of heritability and genetic correlations for reproduction and production traits, which could be used to solve genetic prediction equations under a population level in purebred Boran cattle. In addition, heritability and genetic-correlation estimates found in the present study suggest that there is high genetic variability for most traits in Boran cattle, and that genetic progress is possible for all studied traits in this breed.ConclusionThe Boran cattle breed has the ability to survive, produce and reproduce under high ambient temperature, utilize low quality forage resources, and resist water shortage or long watering intervals and tick infestations. However, currently there are several challenges such as recurrent droughts, pasture deterioration and lack of systematic selection and breeding programs that play to undermine the realization of the potential of the breed. Thus, we recommend systematic selection for enhancing the reproductive and production performances without compromising the adaptation traits of the breed coupled with improved management of rangelands.

This study was conducted to identify major livestock production constraints and improved forage production efforts in the Damot Gale district. Four representative kebeles, two associated with our NGO project and two from nonproject outreach activities, were selected. Forty farmers from each kebele were randomly chosen for the purpose of individual interviews using a semistructured questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS (version 20) and Excel. The topmost livestock production constraint was feed shortage where a larger proportion of farmers (75.6%) suffered from the problem with higher (p ≤ 0.01) severity in nonproject intervention areas. Of these, 38.6% were challenged for a period of three months while another 61.4% suffered for about four months. Purchasing grass (31.4%) and concentrate (33.5%) and feeding enset (Ensete ventricosum) leaf (21.49%) were the most commonly adopted coping mechanisms to alleviate feed shortages during the dry season, while using purchased grass and enset leaf was the main coping strategy in nonproject intervention (p ≤ 0.01) areas. The majority of households (90.75%) participate in improved forage production regardless of farm size. Desho grass (Pennisetum pedicellatum) (71.38%) and elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) (42.63%) are the most common improved forages in both study areas. These forages are produced for the purpose of two or more functions (feed, cash, and preventing erosion) that vary (p ≤ 0.01) among intervention status. Major niche locations adopted for improved forage production include farm land, soil and water conservation structures, and perimeter fencing. Greatest constraints on improved forage production were seed/material shortage followed by land shortage and lack of awareness. Project intervention (p ≤ 0.01), tropical livestock unit (TLU) holding (p ≤ 0.01), and forage seed/planting material access (p

Land degradation in the form of soil erosion and fertility depletion is the major environmental problem in Ethiopia. However, to curb this problem, soil and water conservation (SWC) structures are commonly practiced in many rural parts of Ethiopia. This study was conducted to assess the effects of SWC structures on selected soil physicochemical properties in Ejersa Lafo district. For this study, two kebeles (peasant associations) were selected purposively from the district based on the severity of soil erosion and information on SWC practices. The research design employed in this study was systematic, randomized, complete block design. A total of 12 composite soil samples were collected from the depth of 0 to 20 cm at two subwatersheds, namely, Jamjam laga batu and Koriso Odo guba with SWC and without SWC structures at three landscape positions. All the soil samples were analyzed following the standard and recommended procedures. The effect of independent variables (SWC practices and landscape positions) on the dependent variables (soil properties) was statistically tested using the SPSS computer program 21. In this study, most of the selected soil physicochemical properties were affected by watershed management intervention (SWC) structures. Soil moisture content (SMC), clay, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total N (TN), available (AP), available K (AK), and organic carbon (OC) were higher in the subwatershed treated with SWC structures (conserved), whereas bulk density, silt, and sand were higher in the subwatershed without SWC structures (nonconserved). Most of the selected soil chemical properties were significantly varied (p

Abstract Background Mountain grasslands are globally important ecosystems. They are considered as heritage sites with “outstanding values” to ecological communities by adding a further “layer and support to the existing protection measures.” However, mountain grasslands are increasingly under threat from human activities and impacts of climate change. Methods Using satellite imagery, we studied land use/land cover (LULC) patterns between 1973 and 2015. Individual interviews consisting of 240 households for comparison and field data collection were conducted for accuracy assessment. Results Five categories of LULC types were identified from the image classification that included forestland, grassland, shrubland, bushland, and agricultural land. Between 1973 and 2015, the forestland, grassland, and shrubland covers were declined by 15.9%, 53.6%, and 41.0%, respectively. In contrast, bushland and agricultural land were increased by 169% and 647%, respectively. The overall LULC classification accuracies for the four reference years ranged from 77.6 to 86.5% with Kappa statistic of 0.69 to 0.80. The majority of respondents (92.5%) mentioned that the cover of forestland outsized the other land use land cover types followed by grassland in the past. Conclusions The stated indicators of land use/land cover changes linked to the impact of climate change were decline in milk yield and crop production, spread of livestock diseases, degradation of grazing lands, and change in the timing of rain. The results of the study suggest that human-climate related components were major drivers of land use/land cover dynamics that demand for proper management and conservation of mountain grassland ecosystem in Sidama South Ethiopia.

Objective A study was conducted to evaluate the varietal differences among faba bean straws and also to assess the potentials of faba bean straws supplemented with concentrate fed at the rate 70% straws and 30% concentrate mixture on feed intake, digestibility, body weight gain and carcass characteristics of the animals. Methods Forty yearling Arsi-Bale sheep with initial body weight of 19.85±0.29 kg (mean± standard deviation) were grouped in a randomized complete block design into eight blocks of five animals each based on their initial body weight. Straws included in the study were from Mosisa (T1M), Walki (T2W), Degaga (T3D), Shallo (T4S), and local (T5L) varieties of faba bean and concentrate (2:1 ratio of wheat bran to “noug” seed cake). The experiment consisted of seven days of digestibility and 90 days of feeding trials followed by evaluation of carcass parameters at the end. Results Local variety had lower (p0.05) by variety of the faba bean straws. Conclusion There is significant varietal differences between faba bean straws both in quality and quantity. Similarly, significant variation was observed in feed intake, digestibility, body weight gain and feed conversion efficiency among sheep fed different straws of faba bean varieties with concentrate supplement. Based on these results, Walki and Mosisa varieties could be recommended as pulse crop rotation with cereals in the study area.

Multidimensional improvement programs of chickpea require screening of a large number of genotypes for straw nutritive value. The ability of near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) to determine the nutritive value of chickpea straw was identified in the current study. A total of 480 samples of chickpea straw representing a nation-wide range of environments and genotypic diversity (40 genotypes) were scanned at a spectral range of 1108 to 2492 nm. The samples were reduced to 190 representative samples based on the spectral data then divided into a calibration set (160 samples) and a cross-validation set (30 samples). All 190 samples were analysed for dry matter, ash, crude protein, neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre, acid detergent lignin, Zn, Mn, Ca, Mg, Fe, P, and in vitro gas production metabolizable energy using conventional methods. Multiple regression analysis was used to build the prediction equations. The prediction equation generated by the study accurately predicted the nutritive value of chickpea straw (R2 of cross validation > 0.68; standard error of prediction < 1%). Breeding programs targeting improving food-feed traits of chickpea could use NIRS as a fast, cheap, and reliable tool to screen genotypes for straw nutritional quality.

Abstract Introduction Rangeland ecosystems provide multiple ecosystem services, including feed resources for wild and domestic herbivores in semi-arid areas. However, under the ever increasing environmental changes, the impact of rainfall variability on the productivity and vegetation dynamics of rangelands are the great challenges that pastoral community are facing today. As a result, the potentials of most rangelands in semi-arid ecosystems affect the livestockproduction. Therefore, we studied the interconnections between the long-term rainfall variation and the rangeland Water Requirement and Satisfaction Index (WRSI) in Mieso, Jigjiga, and Shinile districts under pastoral conditions of Ethiopia. Methods The base period rainfall data (1984–2015) was obtained from the National Meteorological Agency of Ethiopia, whereas the future rainfall trend was predicted using MarkSim software (Representative Concentration Pathways 4.5 GHG concentration trajectory). Mann-Kendall’s statistical tests, coefficient of variation, LEAP software (version 2.61), and Minitab Software (version 15) were used to assess the relationship between rangeland WRSI and long-term rainfall variability. Results The result indicated that mean annual rainfall anomaly had strong positive correlation with rangeland WRSI in Mieso (P

The Borana rangeland has diverse species of woody and herbaceous plants which are useful as forage. Chemical analysis, in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) and in sacco degradability study were conducted on feed samples collected from browse and grass species during the hot dry and main rainy seasons. Chemical analysis and IVDMD were done for Acacia brevispica, A. nilotica, A. seyal, A. tortilis, Balanites aegyptiaca, Grewia bicolor, G. tembensis, Rhus natalensis, Vernonia cinerascens and Maracaa and grass species Cenchrus ciliaris, Chrysopogon aucheri and P. mezianum while in sacco degradability was done for A. nilotica, B. aegyptiaca, G. bicolor, R. natalensis and C. aucheri. The crude protein content (CP) of the browse species was higher in the rainy season except A. seyal which had higher value in the dry season (210 g/kg DM). The condensed tannin (CT) concentration ranged from 1.2 to 332 g/kg DM in B. aegyptiaca and A. tortilis, respectively. The NDF and ADF were highest in G. tembensis and G. bicolor while lowest values were in A. nilotica and A. seyal in the dry season, respectively. During the rainy season G. tembensis had highest NDF (750.9 g/kg DM) and lowest was in A. nilotica (128.1 g/ kg DM). The IVDMD among the browse varied from 965.7 to 718.9 and 974.7 to 676.3 in the dry and rainy seasons, respectively. In grass species CP was from 56 to 78. The NDF ranged from 728 to 749 g/kg DM and from 673 to 709 g/kg DM in dry and rainy seasons, respectively. The IVDMD was higher in the rainy season (698.2-811.5 vs 577.8-620.2). The in sacco DM degradability was highest for A. nilotica followed by B. aegyptiaca and lowest was in C. aucheri. The browse had high feed potential based on chemical and digestibility/degradability values recorded in this study while grasses could be considered as moderate. Among the grasses, C. ciliaris and C. aucheri are promising in terms of the digestibility values. However this conclusion needs to be supported by animal experiments and knowledge of the local community.

Nutritive value of morphological fractions of Sesbania sesban [15019] and Desmodium intortum was determined based on their chemical composition, in sacco dry matter (DM) degradability, in vitro gas production and in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD). In sesbania, neutral detergent fiber (NDFom) and acid detergent fiber (ADFom) contents were higher in twigs and green pods (P whole forage > leaves. The soluble tannins (STs) content was higher (P

The poultry population is an integral part of Ethiopia's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) but, due to various infectious diseases such as infectious bursal disease (IBD), the expected economic impact in the country remains limited. The status of the disease in Ethiopia is obscured; thus, a systematic review and meta-analysis were employed to estimate the overall pooled prevalence of IBD in Ethiopia. Meta-analysis was conducted to determine the effects of each identified risk factor, while meta-regression and sub-group analysis were employed to assess the relationship between study-level covariates and effect size. The pooled prevalence of IBD in Ethiopia was 69.4% (95% CI 30.7-96.2), while the pooled logit prevalence was 0.94 (95% CI: 0.68-1.20) with significant inter-study variance ( Q test = 948.28, df = 43, P  < 0.001; τ 2  = 0.71, I 2  = 95.47%). A small-study effect was detected in the regression-based Egger test (Prob > | z | < 0.0001). Significant variation was observed among different groups such as sex, age, breed, and type of farm of the chickens. The effect size for the study period from 2018 to 2021 was significantly lower by -0.204 compared to the study period from 2009 to 2015 ( P  < 0.0001. In conclusion, the IBD pooled prevalence estimate is high, even though the number of studies in the country is insufficient. The high prevalence of the disease requires prompt attention from all stakeholders in the sector to bring it under control through comprehensive disease prevention and control intervention strategies.

Vaccination remains the sole effective strategy for combating Japanese encephalitis (JE). Both inactivated and live attenuated vaccines exhibit robust immunogenicity. However, the production of these conventional vaccine modalities necessitates extensive cultivation of the pathogen, incurring substantial costs and presenting significant biosafety risks. Moreover, the administration of live pathogens poses potential hazards for individuals or animals with compromised immune systems or other health vulnerabilities. Subsequently, ongoing research endeavors are focused on the development of next-generation JE vaccines utilizing nanoparticle (NP) platforms. This systematic review seeks to aggregate the research findings pertaining to NP-based vaccine development against JE. A thorough literature search was conducted across established English-language databases for research articles on JE NP vaccine development published between 2000 and 2023. A total of twenty-eight published studies were selected for detailed analysis in this review. Of these, 16 studies (57.14%) concentrated on virus-like particles (VLPs) employing various structural proteins. Other approaches, including sub-viral particles (SVPs), biopolymers, and both synthetic and inorganic NP platforms, were utilized to a lesser extent. The results of these investigations indicated that, despite variations in the usage of adjuvants, dosages, NP types, antigenic proteins, and animal models employed across different studies, the candidate NP vaccines developed were capable of eliciting enhanced humoral and cellular adaptive immune responses, providing effective protection (70-100%) for immunized mice against lethal challenges posed by virulent Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). In conclusion, prospective next-generation JE vaccines for humans and animals may emerge from these candidate formulations following further evaluation in subsequent vaccine development phases., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Adugna, Niu, Guan, Du, Yang, Tian and Yin.)

Background: Meconium-stained amniotic fluid (MSAF) is a condition in which meconium is present in the uterus during ante-natal and complicates 10-15% of all live births. Scanty information is known about the determinants of meconium-stained amniotic fluid. Hence, this study aimed to identify determinants of meconium-stained amniotic fluid among women delivered at southwestern referral hospitals in southwest Ethiopia, in 2024., Methods: An institutional-based case-control study was employed from January 1, 2024, to June 30, 2024. The study was conducted in four southwestern referral hospitals in southwest Ethiopia. The final sample size includes 321(107 cases and 214 controls). The sample size was proportionally allocated for cases and controls for each referral hospital. Simple random sampling was used to select patient charts and data was collected from the chart using questions/tools developed after reviewing relevant literature. Data were entered using Epi-data version 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 25. Data was analyzed using binary logistic regression. All independent variables with P- the value of < 0.25 in univariable analysis were considered for multivariable logistic regression. Determinant factors of meconium-stained amniotic fluid were identified at a 95% confidence interval with a p-value < 0.05 was utilized to declare statistical significance., Results: A total of 107 cases and 214 controls were included in this study. The finding from this study stated that induction of labor [AOR = 2.37, 95% CI = 1.28-8.89], obstructed labor [AOR = 2.62, 95%CI = 1.1-6.79], duration of labor greater than 24 h [AOR = 2.8, 95% CI = 1.55-15.44], and premature rupture of the membrane [AOR = 2.98, 95%CI = 1.1-8.23] were found to be significantly associated with meconium-stained amniotic fluid., Conclusion: Conclusively, a mother with induced or obstructed labor, labor duration greater than 24 h, and premature rupture of membrane need special attention during delivery care to reduce potential risk factors to feto-maternal outcomes related to meconium-stained amniotic fluid., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The objective of this study was to determine the contents of heavy metals in some common spices commercially available in the North Shewa Zone, Oromia region, Ethiopia. Korarima seed (Aframomum corrorima), ginger rhizome (Zingiber officinale), red pepper fruit (Capsicum annum), and turmeric rhizome (Curcuma longa) samples were randomly collected from the Fiche open market. These spice samples were digested using a mixture of 3 mL of HNO 3 (69-72%) and 1 mL of HClO 4 (70%), where organic components are assumed to decompose into gaseous forms while other heavy metal elements are left in the solution. The contents of heavy metals (Fe, Zn, Cu, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cd, and Pb) in the spices were determined by inductively coupled plasma‒optical emission spectrometry (ICP‒OES). The results obtained showed that the concentrations of heavy metal in the korarima, red pepper, ginger, and turmeric samples in milligrammes per kilogramme of dry weight were in the range of Fe (38.7-98.9), Mn (10.5-257), Zn (7.30-29.2), Cu (1.70-6.50), Cr (5.40-9.70), Cd (1.50-2.90), Pb (14.5-28.4), and Ni (3.90-6.70). The heavy metal contents in korarima, red pepper, ginger, and turmeric samples were compared with the maximum values given by the World Health Organization (WHO). Accordingly, the Fe, Zn, Cu, Cr, Mn, and Ni values in the spice samples were found to be lower than the maximum limit of the WHO, while the levels of Pb and Cd in four spice samples and Mn (only in ginger) were higher than the WHO permissible limit. This study shows that the consumption of korarima, red pepper, ginger, and turmeric may pose a serious health threat to consumers due to the high content of lead, cadmium, and manganese (only in ginger) in spices. Therefore, it is suggested that further study be conducted on spice samples based on the origin of cultivation to determine which hotspot is responsible for high levels of contamination of lead, cadmium, and manganese to protect consumers., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Introduction: In Ethiopia, malaria is one of the major public health and socioeconomic problems, though tremendous efforts have been made. Currently, the country has a plan to eliminate malaria by 2030. To achieve this plan, epidemiological studies associated with malaria prevalence with gender, age groups, species types, and seasons are essential. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of malaria from 2013 to 2021 in Addis Zemen town, Northwest Ethiopia., Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at assess the trend of malaria prevalence over the last nine years using recorded blood smear reports in the laboratory logbook from governmental health institutions. Trends in malaria cases and the proportion of genders, age groups, species, and seasons over time were compared. The data were analyzed using the SPSS-23 software package., Results: The overall malaria prevalence between 2013 and 2021 was 10.4%. From all confirmed cases, the minimum and maximum prevalence of malaria cases were recorded in 2018 (2%) and 2016 (33.2%) years, respectively. The infectious rate of males (59.3%) was significantly higher than that of females (40.7%) (p < 0.0001). In all survey periods, all age groups were infected by malaria parasites; the majority of the cases were between 15 and 45 years (57%) older than others. Statistically, a greater proportion of P. falciparum (80.1%) was recorded than P. vivax (18.5%) (p < 0.0001). Malaria cases were occurring throughout each month. The relative highest peaks of total malaria cases were observed during the months of September, October, and November. Seasonally, the highest infection rate was observed during spring (40.20%) compared to other seasons., Conclusions: In conclusion, the study revealed that malaria transmission remained high, which affected males more than females and potentially reproductive ages. Two of the most important Plasmodium species were identified and found during all reviewed months and years, though P. falciparum was the most prevalent. Hence, the problem can be alleviated by using season-based long-lasting insecticide treated nets, regularly overseeing ongoing irrigation activity, overseeing the reduction of the water level of the Sheni River, health education, and providing immediate patient treatment., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a zoonotic pathogen that contaminates abattoir workers, slaughter environments, slaughter equipment, and carcasses during abattoir processing. Infection with E. coli is associated with the consumption of contaminated food and water, and it is a potential threat to the health and welfare of both humans and animals. Hence, this study aimed to detect diarrheagenic E. coli and assess its antibiogram profile in two abattoir settings, in one health lens., Methods: A cross-sectional study in one health approach was conducted from December 2020 to June 2021. A total of 384 samples from abattoir workers' hands, carcasses, knives, cattle feces, abattoir water and effluents were collected. Bacterial culture and biochemical tests were conducted to isolate E. coli, while conventional polymerase chain reaction was performed to identify virulence genes. The antibiogram of diarrheagenic E. coli was tested against nine antimicrobials using the Kirby Bauer disk diffusion method., Results: A total of 115 (29.95%) E. coli were isolated from the 384 samples, and from these isolates, about 17 (14.8%) were confirmed to be diarrheagenic E. coli (DEC). Among the DEC pathotypes, nine (52.94%), five (29.4%), and three (17.65%) were Shiga toxin-producing, enterohemorrhagic, and enterotoxigenic E. coli, respectively. While 14 (82.35%) DEC isolates harbored the stx2 gene, five (29.41%) the eae gene, five (29.41%) the hlyA gene and three (17.65%) harbored the st gene. All the DEC isolates were resistant to erythromycin and vancomycin; whereas, they were susceptible to ampicillin, nalidixic acid and norfloxacin. Furthermore, 64.7% of DEC isolates showed resistance to both ceftazidime and kanamycin and 88.24% of the isolates showed multidrug resistance., Conclusion: This study detected DEC isolates having different virulence genes, which showed single and multiple antimicrobial resistance. Given the existing poor hygienic and sanitary practices along the abattoir-to-table food chain, coupled with the habit of raw meat consumption, this result indicates a potential public and animal health risk from the pathogen and antimicrobial resistance., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia is a widespread and significant clinical problem among neonates worldwide. Globally, every year about 1.1 million babies develop it and the vast majority reside in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Studies on the magnitude and factors associated with neonatal hyperbilirubinemia are limited in Ethiopia. So this study was aimed at assessing the prevalence and associated factors of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia among hospitalized neonates in the neonatal intensive care unit of Jimma Medical Center (JMC), Jimma, South West Ethiopia., Design: Hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted at JMC from July 24 to October 19, 2020., Methods: A total of 222 neonates with their mothers were included and conveniently selected. Data was collected by interviewing mothers through structured questionnaires and reviewing neonates' medical records using a checklist. Multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were employed to identify factors associated with neonatal hyperbilirubinemia., Results: from a total of neo-maternal pairs included in the studies; the proportion of Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia was found to be 94 (42.3%). Neo-maternal ABO incompatibility 33 (35.1%), prematurity 41 (43.6%), sepsis 35 (37.2%), Neonatal birth asphyxia 20 (21.2%), and Rh isoimmunization 10 (10.6%) was significantly associated with neonatal hyperbilirubinemia., Conclusion: The prevalence of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in the study setting was high. Antenatal care (including both mother and fetus detail examination and follow-ups) as well as cautions during labor need to focus on since Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia-associated factors were maternal and neonatal. Hence, further assessment, early intervention, and timely treatment are important to mitigate the burdens in neonates due to hyperbilirubinemia., Competing Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2023.)

Filariasis and virus diseases that are transmitted by Culex quinquefasciatus are still a global health problem. Control of mosquito vectors with synthetic insecticides causes resistance to these mosquitoes to insecticides so that detection of susceptibility of the mosquito larval stage to insecticides is important for evaluating mosquito control programs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the susceptibility of wild-caught Cx. quinquefasciatus larvae in Jakarta, Indonesia, following exposure to temephos, malathion, cypermethrin, and deltamethrin; this was done by examining the detoxifying enzyme activities and histological damage to the larval midgut. Cx. quinquefasciatus larvae were collected from five fields in Jakarta and exposed for 24 h to temephos (1.25, 6.25, 31.25, and 156.25 ppm), malathion (0.5 ppm), cypermethrin (0.25 ppm), and deltamethrin (0.35 ppm). The larvae were then examined for acetylcholinesterase (AChE), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and oxidase activities using biochemical methods. Histological damage to the larval midgut was examined using routine histopathological methods and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). After 24 h, temephos and deltamethrin led to 100% mortality in the Cx. quinquefasciatus larvae. Temephos and malathion significantly inhibited the activity of AChE, while cypermethrin and deltamethrin significantly inhibited oxidase activity. Histologically, all insecticides damaged the larval midgut, as indicated by irregularities in the epithelial cell (ECs), microvilli (Mv), food boluses (FBs), peritrophic membranes (PMs), and cracked epithelial layers (Ep). The TEM findings confirmed that temephos and cypermethrin damage to the midgut ECs included damage to the cell membrane, nucleus, nucleoli, mitochondria, and other cell organelles. Overall, Cx. quinquefasciatus larvae in Jakarta were completely susceptible to temephos and deltamethrin. Synthetic insecticides may kill Cx. quinquefasciatus larvae through their actions on the metabolic enzyme activities and histopathological midgut., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2022 The Author(s).)

Background: People with pre-existing chronic diseases are more likely to acquire COVID-19 infections, which can be fatal, and die from COVID-19 illness. COVID-19 vaccination will benefit those at a higher risk of developing complications and dying from the disease. This study aimed to determine chronic patients' willingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and the factors that influence their willingness., Method: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 423 adult chronic patients in the University of Gondar specialized hospital outpatient departments. The participants were chosen using systematic random sampling methods with an interval of 5. Face-to-face interviews were used to collect data from eligible respondents. Epi-data version 4.6 and SPSS version 25 were used for the data entry data analysis. Bivariable and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationship between the dependent and independent factors. An odds ratio with 95 percent confidence intervals and a P-value was used to determine the association's strength and statistical significance., Result: Out of 401 respondents, 219 (54.6%) with [95% CI (49.7-59.5%)] of study participants were willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. Being a healthcare worker (AOR = 2.94, 95% CI: 1.24-6.96), Lost family members or friends due to COVID-19 (AOR = 2.47, 95% CI: 1.21-5.00), good knowledge about COVID-19 vaccine (AOR = 2.44, 95% CI: 1.37-4.33), favorable attitude towards COVID-19 vaccine (AOR = .8.56 95% CI: 4.76-15.38), perceived suitability of the COVID-19 infection (AOR = 2.94, 95% CI: 1.62-5.33) and perceived benefit of the COVID-19 vaccine (AOR = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.08-3.31), were found to be a significant association with the willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine among chronic patients., Conclusion: This study confirms that around 55% of adult chronic patients were willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Providing health education for chronic patients to emphasize the knowledge and attitude of the COVID-19 vaccine and raise patients' perceived risk of COVID-19 and the benefit of the COVID-19 vaccine could be recommended to improve their willingness to COVID-19 vaccination., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

The intensity of malaria transmission is measured by parous rate, daily survival rate, human blood meal frequency, sporozoite rate, and entomological inoculation rates. Female parous status is a key index of vector competence, adult vector longevity, recruitment rate of adult, and the length of a gonotrophic cycle. Hence, the present study was aimed to investigate the parous rate and the longevity of Anopheles mosquitoes in Bure District, Northwestern Ethiopia. Parous rate was estimated as the number of mosquitoes with parous ovaries divided by the number of females dissected multiplied by 100. Mosquito life expectancy (longevity as d) was estimated by. One way- ANOVA was applied to confirm the presence of parous rate difference in the villages (p < 0.05). A total of 952 unfed hosts-seeking Anopheles mosquitoes was dissected for parous rate determination. The overall parous rate of An. arabiensis in the district was 52.0%, and the highest parous rate was recorded in Shnebekuma than other villages (F 2, 33 = 6.974; p = 0.003). Similarly, the parous rate of An. cinereus showed significant variation among villages (F 2, 33 = 5.044, p = 0.012) and the highest rate (63.0%) was recorded in Bukta. The mean longevity of An. funestus, An. arabiensis, An. coustani, An. squamosus, An. pharoensis, and An. cinereus was 6.5 days, 4.6 days, 3.5 days, 3.7 days, 2.7 days, and 2.2 days, respectively. The longevity of each species was not sufficient to complete the life cycle of malaria parasite for malaria transmission throughout the year because P. falciparum requires from 12-14 day., Competing Interests: All authors declare no competing interest.

Introduction: Abnormal uterine bleeding is any bleeding that deviates from normal menstruations. It differs in terms of frequency of bleeding, duration, and the pattern of bleeding during menstrual cycle or menopause. It is a major gynecological problem for medical visits among women in the reproductive aged group. However, data on abnormal uterine bleeding in Ethiopia are limited. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the abnormal uterine bleeding and associated factors among reproductive age women in Jimma town, Southwest Ethiopia., Methods: Community-based cross-sectional study was employed from 1 January to 30 April 2020. Six hundred sixty women were selected by using systematic random sampling. Data were collected by using semi-structured questionnaires. Data were entered into EPI data version 3.1 and analyzed by using SPSS version 25 software. All predictor's variables with p value <0.25 in bivariable analysis were entered into multivariable logistic regression analysis. Variables with a p value of less than 0.05 in the multivariable analysis were taken as statistically significant predictors of abnormal uterine bleeding., Results: Out of 660 participants, 225 (34.1%) had abnormal uterine bleeding. From women with abnormal uterine bleeding, the prevalence of metrorrhagia, heavy periods, oligomenorrhea, inter-menstrual bleeding, polymenorrhea, and amenorrhea was 59 (26.2%), 54 (24%), 53 (23.5%), 46 (20.4%), 35 (15.5%), and 25 (11.1%), respectively. History of abortion (adjusted odds ratio = 1.5, 95% confidence interval: 1.02-2.41), history of uterine fibroids (adjusted odds ratio = 3.83, 95% confidence interval: 1.85-7.94), history of sexually transmitted infection (adjusted odds ratio = 2.2, 95% confidence interval: 1.33-3.66), and the history of intrauterine device (adjusted odds ratio = 2.1, 95% confidence interval: 1.39-2.97) were significantly associated with abnormal uterine bleeding., Conclusion: The prevalence of abnormal uterine bleeding was higher in Jimma town.