Abstract: Aims: To identify virtual healthcare services and digital health technologies deployed in South Africa during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the challenges associated with their use. Methods: To determine the status of digital health utilization during COVID-19 in South Africa, the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses model was used to perform a systematic and in-depth critical analysis of previously published studies in well-known and trusted...
Abstract: This study was carried out to assess hand hygiene practices in the context of an institution that uses biometric identity machines to monitor employee attendance. The study involved 103 employees. The study revealed that 67.3% of the respondents felt the institution had adequate hand hygiene facilities but only 51.4 % said they always disinfect their hands after using the toilet. 33.6% said they never disinfected their hands when using the biometric machine due to unavailability of...
Abstract: The increasing population growth, depletion of natural recourses from mining and similar activities, and consequent insistent climate change have triggered diverse environmental challenges. It is well known that acid mine drainage (AMD) from mining operations in South Africa constitutes a serious environmental problem which requires heightened and crucial attention. The contamination threats from AMD presents a severe risk requiring prevention and mitigation measures for curbing co...
Abstract: Waste stabilisation pond system has been used more especially in developing countries for sewage treatment. The objective of this study was to investigate the hydraulic and performance efficiency of Palapye waste stabilisation ponds. The hydraulic efficiency was evaluated through drogue, pond geometry and sludge accumulation assessment. The performance efficiency was evaluated through periodic sampling and analysis of physiochemical and bacteriological parameters of individual unit...
Abstract: Shortage of water for agriculture has resulted in the need to explore the use of wastewater for irrigation, however this can pose a health problem to the people emanating from the produced food as a result of the accumulation of pollutants. The purpose of this research was to investigate the accumulation of some heavy metals and bacteriological indicators in the different parts of spinach vegetable irrigated with secondary wastewater effluent treated through a pilot filtration syst...
Uganda practices what is called legal pluralism. Where more than one type of law is practiced in her jurisdiction. The customary laws, statutes, common laws (case laws, legal precedents). Despite all these laws. Maternal health is insufficiently covered by the law. As there is little guideness of the law on this issue but even the overall law as a block is seemingly gender biased, neutral and blind. As it lacks sensitivity on the heterogeneity of men and women in social aspects.
Aims: The involvement of maternal sociodemographic, obstetric, clinical, anthropometric and biochemical variables in preeclampsia has been demonstrated in previous studies. However, there are intra- and inter-population variabilities in study findings due to differences in genetic and environmental factors. This requires population-specific studies to aid the formulation of local protocols for the early detection and management of preeclampsia. Study Design: This was a case-control study Pl...
Abstract: Objective: To evaluate the insecticide, larvicidal and repellent activity of the essential oils from Callistemon viminalis, Melaleuca leucadendron, and Hyptis suaveolens against Chrysodeixis chalcites and to compare it with neem oil (Azadirachta indica). Methods: The essential oils of the leaves of these aromatiques plants were extracted by steam distillation and contacts tests were carried out. Results: Essential oils in ethanol from Callistemon viminalis showed a higher biologica...
Abstract: Aphids vector many plant viruses in a non-persistent manner i.e., virus particles bind loosely to the insect mouthparts (stylet). This means that acquisition of virus particles from infected plants, and inoculation of uninfected plants by viruliferous aphids, are rapid processes that require only brief probes of the plant’s epidermal cells. Virus infection alters plant biochemistry, which causes changes in emission of volatile organic compounds and altered accumulation of nutrien...
Abstract: In agricultural ecosystems, insect pests, pathogens, weather patterns, and reduced soil fertility pose major challenges to crop productivity and are responsible for significant yield losses worldwide. Iris yellow spot virus (IYSV) vectored by Thrips tabaci Lindeman,is a major hindrance to onion production in eastern Africa. Control measures often rely on insecticides with deleterious effects. Endophytes are one key alternative as they can play important roles in mediating induced s...
Abstract: Citrus greening is a serious disease of Citrus sp. and has been associated with the collapse of several citrus industries in Asia and America (Bové 2006). The disease is associated with the presence of a phloem-limited bacterium, of the ‘Candidatus Liberibacter’ genus. ‘Candidatus Liberibacter africanus’, the principal agent of African citrus greening disease (ACG) has been reported in South, East, and Central Africa (Aubert et al. 1988; Garnier and Bové 1996), but its pr...
Abstract: Endophytic fungi live within plant tissues without causing any harm to the host, promote its growth, and induce systemic resistance against pests and diseases. To mitigate the challenging concealed feeding behavior of immature stages of Tuta absoluta in both tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and nightshade (Solanum scabrum) host plants, 15 fungal isolates were assessed for their endophytic and insecticidal properties. Twelve isolates were endophytic to both host plants with varied colo...
Abstract: The Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri) is a key pest of Citrus spp. worldwide, as it acts as a vector for “Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (Las)”, the bacterial pathogen associated with the destructive Huanglongbing (HLB) disease. Recent detection of D. citri in Africa and reports of Las-associated HLB in Ethiopia suggest that the citrus industry on the continent is under imminent threat. Endosymbionts and gut bacteria play key roles in the biology of arthropods, especia...
Abstract: Entomopathogenic fungi are commonly applied as inundative sprays to protect plants against insect pests. Their artificial establishment as fungal endophytes to provide other benefits to the host plants aside mere protection against the primary pests has also been widely demonstrated. In the present study, two fungal strains of Beauveria bassiana and one strain of Isaria fumosorosea were assessed in a pathogenicity test against adults of Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri) and f...
Abstract: African citrus greening is a destructive disease of citrus that has been reported in South Africa since the 1920s. The disease is associated with ‘Candidatus Liberibacter africanus’ (Laf) and is transmitted by Trioza erytreae (Cook et al. 2014; McClean 1974). The related bacteria ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ (Las), which is associated with the much more severe Huanglongbing disease and is transmitted by Diaphorina citri, was recently reported in Ethiopia (Saponari et...