ABSTRACT This is the first study done in Tanzania concerning with parasites of octopus, aimed to investigate parasites in Octopus cyanea along the Indian Ocean of Tanga region in Tanzania. Information from fishermen was required so as to determine their awareness on parasitic infections in octopus. Twenty five per cent (25.3%) agreed on the presence of parasites in octopus skin and muscles but these were not observed during laboratory investigation. Gamogony and sporogony of Aggregata sp (Ap...
ABSTRACT Chikungunya is a viral disease caused by Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) that is transmitted to humans by infected Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus mosquitoes. The objective of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of Chikungunya infection among febrile patients seeking healthcare in Mzuzu City, Malawi. Blood samples were collected during 2019 from outpatients attending Mzuzu Central Hospital who presented with fever but who were malaria and sepsis negative. Sera from outpatients...
ABSTRACT The present study was conducted to investigate the presence of Arenaviruses from rodents, shrews and elephant shrews captured in selected wildlife-human interfaces in Tanzania. The study involved six sites with high potential for contact between wildlife and humans namely; Ruaha, Kilombero, Mtwara, Mbeya, Mbinga and Mikumi. A total of 121 animals comprising 111 rodents, 3 shrews and 7 elephant shrews were screened for Arenaviruses using conventional Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)....
ABSTRACT Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz), an edible crop that is renowned out of its growth advantages over other crops, carries cyanide which is potentially poisonous to humans. The threat is intensified by human habit of consuming raw cassava tubers whose toxicological status is not established. Cases and indicators of cyanide poisoning due to cassava consumption are evident in Tanzania, particularly in Kagera and Morogoro regions. This study was launched to quantify cyanide in tubers o...
ABSTRACT Compliance by street fruit salad and juice vendors with national food safety and quality requirements was evaluated. Evaluation was based on good manufacturing practices (GMP), good hygienic practices (GHP), selected heavy metals, physicochemical properties and microbiological quality parameters. Compliance by street vendors was also compared to vendors in university cafeterias and town restaurants. Among the fruit salad and fruit juice vendors, 71.4% and 54.3%, respectively, had no ...
ABSTRACT Speed is paramount in the diagnosis of highly infectious Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). Recent developments in molecular biology have enabled specific detection of FMD virus by real-time RT-qPCR and sequencing in endemic settings in Africa. In this study, a laboratory-based experimental design was used to standardize real-time RT-qPCR assay for detection and typing of FMDV in selected regions of Tanzania. The optimized conditions for both pan-serotypic and serotype-specific real-time ...
ABSTRACT Post-harvest management during handling and storage of maize are crucial for ensuring food security. This study was carried out to assess farmers handling practices and effectiveness of different post-harvest technologies of maize in Kilosa district. A household survey on farmers handling practices and post-harvest technologies used by the farmers to store maize was conducted in Mabwerebwere and Ulaya wards of Kilosa district. The study recorded farmers habits on maize handling pract...
ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to assess compliance of cassava flour processed by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) from Mwanza, Tanga and Coast regions. Flour samples were collected randomly from 22 SMEs in the mentioned Regions. Processing technologies as well as factors that influenced product standardization based on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Good Hygienic Practices (GHP) and storage practices were assessed using pretested structured questionnaire. Chemical composition (...
ABSTRACT Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral vesicular disease of cloven hoofed animals and poses major constraints to international trade in livestock production. Methods available for detection of FMD virus (FMDV) require specialized laboratory facilities and equipment. In this study, targeted laboratorybased experiments studies were conducted using reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) for detection and serotyping of FMDV under field ...
EXTENDED ABSTRACT Tanzania has experienced an increase in the consumption of bottled water as a result of the population building trust that it is safer than tap water. It is the interest of public to consume water of high quality both microbiologically and chemically. Due to the fact that bottled water is produced from different geographical regions, it is expected to have different qualities in microbial flora loading, essential elements and heavy metals. The aim of this study was to asses...
ABSTRACT This study aimed at producing and characterizing of jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) jam, by extracting pulps from jackfruits obtained from Morogoro market. Produced pulp was mixed with prepared lemon juice and sugar and allowed to cook on constant boiling/stirring until ready for set at 69% brix. Seventy untrained panelists performed sensory and general acceptability test using 7 point hedonic scale of the developed jam together with commercial mango jam as control. The result...
ABSTRACT A survey was conducted at Mkuranga and Rufiji districts in the Coastal Region of Tanzania. A total of 10 samples comprised of two from each of 5 varieties were subjected to three preparation methods (pounded cassava leaves as preparation method 1, boiled pounded leaves for 30 minutes as preparation method 2, and pounded leaves in hot water then boiled for 30 minutes as preparation method 3). These samples were analyzed for proximate components, β-carotene, vitamin C and cyanide con...
Abstract The systematic status and geographic distribution of spiny mice of the genus Acomys I. Geoffroy, 1838 in northern Tanzania is uncertain. This study assesses the systematic and geographic distribution of Acomys from northern Tanzania using a multidisciplinary approach that includes molecular, cytogenetic, traditional and geometric morphometric analyses, and classical morphology of the same individuals. The molecular analysis was based on 1140 base pairs (bp) of the mitochondrial cy...
ABSTRACT Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have the ability to cause superficial skin infections and occasionally causes invasive and serious diseases. This study was performed in a cross sectional design to determine the prevalence and molecular characterization of MRSA in raw bovine milk in the Morogoro Municipality. Raw milk samples (117) were collected from 18 administrative wards and cultured on Baird-Parker agar to isolate S. aureus. Presumptive colonies were analyzed ...
ABSTRACT Cassava is an important staple crop and its starch is an important source of biomaterial for food and non-food industries. Processing of cassava is very important due to its rapid postharvest deterioration and cyanide content, but it can also add value and provides employment opportunities. There is a correlation between cyanogenic poison and poverty in communities where cassava is a staple food. Therefore development of starches occupies a central position in the quest for cassava c...