Abstract Background. Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) and schistosome infections have been known to be major causes of morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan countries. School aged and preschool children are known to be at high risk of infection. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with soil-transmitted helminths among school-going children in Lurambi Subcounty, Kakamega, Kenya. Method. A cross-sectional study was conducted from Jan 2...
Abstract Background: With the increasing world population, there is increasing demand for food. This has led to overuse of agricultural farms causing reduced soil fertility and accumulation of phytopathogens. Inorganic fertilizers and pesticides have been extensively used in response to these challenges. Extensive integration of inorganic fertilizers and pesticides in the farming system has contributed to soil and water pollution worsening the eutrophication in rivers lake waters. Alternativ...
Abstract Infectious agents such as SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2 have emerged in recent years causing epidemics with high mortality rates. The quick development of novel therapeutic compounds is required in the fight against such pathogenic agents. Unfortunately, the traditional drug development methods are time-consuming and expensive. In this study, computational algorithms were utilized for virtual screening of a library of natural compounds in the ZINC database for their affinity to...
Abstract Malaria remains a major public health concern around the world with tropical and sub-tropical regions bearing the greatest brunt despite up-scaling of control strategies. Despite the provisioning of insecticidal nets to expectant women attending antenatal care facilities, Plasmodium infections was a recurrent problem in Kakamega County. We hypothesized that socioeconomic factors were risk factors for the high prevalence levels of asymptomatic Plasmodium infections (API) among pregna...
Abstract Students in secondary schools in Rwanda manifest difficulties in learning science subjects including biology. Studies revealed that inadequate teaching methods dominated by teacher-centered traditional or conventional educational strategies are some of the factors that cause difficulties in learning, which in turn leads to poor achievements in biology. This study investigated the effect of inquiry-based learning (IBL) using 5Es instructional model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborat...
Abstract Background Epstein Barr virus (EBV)-associated endemic Burkitt’s Lymphoma pediatric cancer is associated with morbidity and mortality among children resident in holoendemic Plasmodium falciparum regions in western Kenya. P. falciparum exerts strong selection pressure on sickle cell trait (SCT), alpha thalassemia (-α3.7/αα), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), and merozoite surface protein 2 (MSP-2) variants (FC27, 3D7) that confer reduced malarial disease severity. The cu...
Abstract Maize lethal necrosis disease (MLND) in Kenya has been reported to be caused by a coinfection between a non-potyvirus Maize chlorotic mottle virus (MCMV) and a potyvirus Sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV). The control of the disease in Kenya has been a challenge owing to the synergistic interactions that exist between the two viruses. This study, sought to determine the stage of synergism between the two viruses and its role in influencing the severity of the disease. Three maize hybrids...
Abstract Estimating aboveground carbon (AGC) dynamics and tree diversity functionality relationships is critical in understanding the role of vegetation in implementing climate change mitigation strategies and promoting sustainable forest management. This study aimed to evaluate AGC stocks and their functional relationship with tree species diversity in Kakamega and North Nandi Forests, Kenya. A nested approach was adopted in sampling aboveground vegetation for biomass estimation in least di...
Abstract The impact of injection and non-injection substance use in HIV infections is an area of great public importance especially with respect to hematologic and immune profiles. Evaluations of hematologic and immune status are critical for better disease classification and clinical management especially of HIV positive substance users. However, not much information is known about the hematologic and immune derangements in HIV infected injection and non-injection substance users. This stud...
Abstract/Overview Background: Everyday hundreds of people, mainly men, set out to take part in a vibrant artisanal capture fshing (ACF) industry on Lake Victoria. It is not known whether actions of artisanal fshers, in their unrelenting quest for exist ence, surpass ecosystems’ sustainability thresholds with potentially negative repercussions on human health with respect to malaria transmission potential. This article sought to fll this information gap. Methods: This study used an ecosy...
Abstract Paenibacillus larvae is a spore-forming bacterium causing American foulbrood (AFB) in honey bee larvae. The remains of a diseased larva contains billions of extremely resilient P. larvae spores viable for decades. Burning clinically symptomatic colonies is widely considered the only workable strategy to prevent further spread of the disease, and the management practices used for decontamination requires high concentrations of chemicals or special equipment. The aim of this study was...
Abstract Diversity patterns of tropical alpine vegetation is poorly studied. We estimated vascular plant floristic richness for two typical afro-alpine communities in Mount Kenya using a series of nested plots sized from 25 to 100 m2. The α-diversity was low for all plot sizes (4.8–7.8 and 12.8 species per one and 100 m2, respectively). Comparative analysis of α-, β- and γ-diversity across 22 plant communities from five Mountain regions (Mount Kenya, European Alps, Caucasus, Tibet, New...
Abstract Camels are increasingly becoming the livestock of choice for pastoralists reeling from effects of climate change in semi-arid and arid parts of Kenya. As the population of camels rises, better understanding of their role in the epidemiology of zoonotic diseases in Kenya is a public health priority. Rift Valley fever (RVF), brucellosis and Q fever are three of the top priority diseases in the country but the involvement of camels in the transmission dynamics of these diseases is poor...
Abstract Lake Magadi is an alkaline saline Lake in Kenya, which lies on the Great Eastern Rift valley. Although the lake is characterized by extremes of salt, pH and temperature, it supports diverse groups of cyanobacteria. In this study, we used different media to isolate novel groups of cyanobacteria. We recovered 11 isolates affiliated to the orders Chroococcales, Oscillatoriales, Pleurocapsales and Nostocales. Isolates affiliated to Chroococcidiopsis species had similarity values below 9...
Abstract Lipids are hydrocarbons comprised of long‐chain fatty acids and are found in all living things. In the environment, microorganisms degrade them to obtain energy using esterases and lipases. These enzymes are nowadays used in different industrial applications. We report isolation of 24 bacteria with esteresic and lipolytic activity from Lake Magadi, Kenya. The isolates were characterised using morphological, biochemical, and molecular methods. Isolates grew at an optimum salt conce...