ABSTRACT Heavy metal pollution in soil and water arising from anthropogenic sources continue to pose a great challenge to human and animal population. In Samburu County conflicts arising from cattle rustling, military trainings in the county which have led to heavy use and disposal of arms, a growing population without proper sewerage facilities, increase in the number of aging automobiles and fertilizers from the wheat and barley farms in the highlands of Lorroki are the biggest contributors...
Genetic modification has come a long way since its inception with the first genetically engineered human insulin in 1982 and the first genetically modified tomato in 1994. The use of genetic engineering to modify crops has been a controversial issue which has raised scientific, environmental, economic, social and ethical/moral as well as religious concerns. In Kenya, the debate has been conducted with little involvement of key stakeholders, in particular farmers and consumers. Thorough e...
ABSTRACT The Kenya Vision 2030 aims at achieving a 10 percent per annum growth rate in the economy. Investments have been identified as a major channel through which this objective can be met. The government has undertaken various public investments to fuel economic growth. However, for this to be even more effective, private investments have to be taken into consideration. The government has taken various measures such as relying more on external debt to avoid crowding out private investmen...
Malaria imposes a huge burden upon the health and economic development of tropical nations and has been identified as a major obstacle to sustainable development by the world’s poorest regions. Diagnosis of malaria still remains a major challenge towards effective case management more so in areas with limited diagnostic facilities and lack of access to skilled health personnel. Clinical diagnosis which is the most widely used approach has several limitations leading to its low sensiti...
ABSTRACT Staphylococcus aureus is a major food-borne pathogen that poses a serious threat to public health. In Kenya, with the continuous water shortage, proper sanitary conditions are not sufficiently met and hence pre-disposing the community to S. aureus infections. One of the difficulties of controlling S. aureus food poisoning is that food can contain a very high population of the bacteria without being noticeably identified. It has been suggested that food-borne diseases represent one of...
Natural activities like volcanic eruptions and anthropogenic activities such as excavation of rocks for buildings and road constructions expose originally concealed radioactive elements in the rocks within the earth crust. Poor agricultural practices such as excessive use of fertilizers lead to accumulation of radioactive elements in the environment. Transport agents like run-off water and rivers accumulate these radionuclides in lakes and other water bodies. Lake Nakuru is situated clo...
ABSTRACT Tomato is rated the second most important horticultural crop after potato in most parts of the world. However, its cultivation is threatened by infestations of Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). The pest originated from South America and is now invading fields and greenhouse production sites in the world. Tuta absoluta was first officially reported in Kenya in March 2014 at Isiolo and has spread to all parts where tomato is grown. The pest has been nicknamed tomato ‗Al–sha...
Drought adversely affects crop production worldwide leading to approximately 70% of yield reduction. Significant yield loss is common among the major cereals such as maize, wheat and barley due to frequent and severe drought as a result of climate change. Therefore, there is a great need for drought tolerant or escaping crops that still yield amidst erratic climatic manifestation. Sweetpotato is capable of producing high yield in a short period of time making it suitable for cultivation ...
ABSTRACT Schistosomiasis, also known as bilharziases is a parasitic disease caused by blood flukes (trematodes) of the genus Schistosoma. Both urinary schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma haematobium and intestinal schistosomiasis caused by S. mansoni occur in various regions of Kenya, including the coastal region. River Tana which flows through Garsen, offer breeding sites for Bulinus snails which are the fresh water snail vectors for S. haematobium. Despite the WHO recommending the strateg...
Kajiado town, the County headquarters for Kajiado County which is classified as semi-arid area, lacks adequate water supply systems. The town had a projected population of 16,003 in 2013 (KNBS, 2010) but no functional municipal water supply system. There is no permanent river near the town and the town has a formation with poor aquifer such that even bore holes have low water yields. Water is sold at an exorbitant price given that a twenty (20) litre jerry can cost on average Kshs 10 whi...
Despite the progress that has occurred in recent years in the development of therapy, there is still a need for effective and potent analgesics for pain. Pain is defined as unpleasant feeling essential for body‘s defense system. Pain is managed using analgesics such as aspirin,paracetamol, diclofenac, morphine, opioids, among others. Conventional antinociceptives are expensive and have many side effects. Continued use of these drugs may lead to tolerance. Medicinal plants have been use...
ABSTRACT Prunus africana (Hook.f.) is an evergreen tree that grows in African mountains. The species’ bark and bark extracts are used for the treatment of benign prostate hyperplasia. The pharmacological efficacy of the extracts is said to be due to synergistic effect of several compounds such as phytosterols, pentacyclic triterpenoids and ferulic acid esters. High demand for the bark and bark extracts has led to over-exploitation of natural population of the species. As a result, P. africa...
Maize is an important staple food for most Kenyans. The increasing population trend in the face of declining yields in maize production has intensified food insecurity countrywide. The low grain yield can be attributed to foliar diseases mainly gray leaf spot and maize streak virus and expensive hybrid seeds. Hybrid testing is expensive and limited in number of hybrids that can be generated and tested each year. This has increased the need to improve maize production techniques to meet t...
Malaria causes the greatest public health burden in sub-Saharan Africa where high mortality mainly occurs in children under five years of age and pregnant women. Majority of Kenyan population are at risk of malaria infection. Traditionally, malaria has been studied mainly in Western and Coastal Kenya while the rift valley especially Baringo County few malaria studies have been conducted indicating seasonal transmission. This has resulted in scanty information on actual malaria prevalence...
ABSTRACT Human immunodeficiency virus or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome remains the leading cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa, Kenya being one of them. Over 407,000 patients were on antiretroviral therapy by the year 2015 nationally. Despite sustained clinical benefits associated to usage of antiretroviral drugs, adverse effects are emerging as a major safety concern. Some of the factors that have been identified as having an influence on the effect of ARV in disease control include a...