Florence Mutua

Evaluating the Efficacy of Teaching Methods Regarding Prevention of Human Epilepsy Caused by Taenia solium Neurocysticercosis in Western Kenya

Taenia solium neurocysticercosis is a major cause of adult-onset epilepsy in developing countries. A questionnaire was administered to 282 Kenyan farmers, followed by a workshop, a second questionnaire, one-on-one training, and a third questionnaire. People who attended workshops were more likely to know how T. solium causes epilepsy in humans in the third visit than the second (P = 0.001). The likelihood that farmers would tether their pigs 100% of the time, limiting exposure to tapeworm eggs, increased after the first (P < 0.001) and second visits (P < 0.001). Farmers were more likely to have heard of Cysticercus cellulosae in the second (P = 0.001) and third visits (P = 0.007), and to know how pigs acquire infection in the second (P = 0.03) and third visits (P = 0.003). Farmers with at least a grade 8 education were more likely to know how T. solium is transmitted to humans in the second (P = 0.001) and third visits (P = 0.009), and were more likely to understand the relationship between epilepsy and T. solium in the second (P = 0.03) and third visits (P = 0.03). Grade 8 education may enhance learning from written material. Workshops followed by individual on-farm training enhanced knowledge acquisition and behavior changes. Training local government extension workers contributed to the sustainability of this project.

The impact of political crisis on smallholder pig farmers in western Kenya, 2006–2008

Farmers and families in western Kenya have grown increasingly dependent on the pig industry as a primary resource for savings and income. The post-election crisis in 2008 had a serious impact on people living in western Kenya because the region was the stronghold of the opposition Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). The pig industry was affected in a number of ways, including an increase in the price of food and farm inputs, sale of pigs to provide food and other essentials for the family, or because of forced migration, leading to a drastic decrease in numbers of pigs. This will have a negative effect on the long-term viability of the pig industry due to decreased availability of growing, breeding and market weight animals.

Reproductive performance of sows in rural communities of Busia and Kakamega Districts, Western Kenya

This study provided baseline performance of breeding pigs information on local sow productivity that was previously lacking. The objective was to investigate performance of breeding pigs in rural smallholder communities of Western Kenya. A random sample of 288 smallholder farms in Busia and Kakamega districts was selected pigs. The farms were visited three times in the course of the study period, 2006 to 2008. Data on management and productivity were gathered by means of questionnaires administered to sow owners. The average number of sows owned per farm was 1.3±0.6. Sows were bred for an average of 2.18±1.08 days during one estrus. Sows were 12.1±4.5 months old when they farrowed for the first time. They were bred 1.9±1.6 month after piglets were weaned. Sources of breeding boars

Educating People Participating in the Pig Industry to Reduce Epilepsy due to Taenia Solium

In the developing countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America, neurocysticercosis is the major cause of adult-onset epilepsy (Garcia et al., 2004; Roman et al., 2000; Garcia et al., 2005; Sarti et al., 1994; Sciutto et al., 2000; Mahajan RC, 1982). In 1992, this form of epilepsy, and the Taenia solium tapeworm was declared a potentially eradicable disease by the International Task Force for Disease Eradication (Aarata et al., 1992; Shantz et al., 1993). However, there are several barriers to eradication such as lack of knowledge, lack of resources, poor hygiene and the fundamental implications of the management of pigs as a source of banking and income generation for the poorest of the poor. This chapter will discuss promising results of an educational program, the fact that the education should include the various actors in the swine industry, and illustrate the need for a broader geographic focus to promote the eradication of epilepsy due to neurocysticercosis.

Analysis of pastoralists’ perception on challenges and opportunities for sheep and goat production in Northern Kenya

Small ruminants’ production contributes to livelihood of pastoral communities, but this faces myriad constraints. This study aimed at identifying challenges facing producers of small ruminants, prioritizing diseases and their control measures and documenting opportunities for improvement. Sixteen focus group discussions with livestock owners and 13 key informant interviews were done in selected areas in Mandera County, Northern Kenya, and both quantitative and qualitative data collected using a questionnaire guide. Occurrences of diseases (27.4%) and drought (25%) were consistently ranked high in all groups. Other production challenges included increased predation of livestock, inadequate delivery of veterinary services, and increased livestock mortalities. Peste des Petit ruminants was ranked high with a median rank of 21.5%, while contagious caprine pleuropneumonia and sheep and goat pox were ranked second and third, respectively. Other diseases included tick-borne diseases, helminthosis, and pneumonia. Vaccination was ranked as the most effective control strategy for infectious diseases. Other control measures included recitation of Quran and cauterization. However, several opportunities exist for support of small ruminants’ production: increased budgetary allocation for disease control by government, initiation of projects that enhance livestock production in the region by government and its development partners. These findings are useful for policy makers for disease control and organizations that are working on projects that focuses on enhancement of pastoralists’ resilience, while future research could also identify appropriate technologies that reduces these impacts.

An overview of animal health and communication constraints in smallholder farming systems of Machakos County, Kenya

Information sharing is an important pillar for any strategy that aims to control infectious diseases especially in farms and systems that are connected. A study was designed to analyze practices related to sharing of animal health information and identify health constraints affecting livestock keeping in smallholder farming systems of Mwala in Machakos County. Data were collected through focus group discussions (number of groups = 3) and one-on-one questionnaire interviews (n = 172). These were analyzed using both descriptive and thematic approaches. The most (33%; n = 158) feared animal disease was pneumonia which was also the most (62%) frequently reported health problem. Rabies, Newcastle disease, and east coast fever were ranked high by the farmer groups. Current animal management practices, for example, failure to confine dogs, predispose the community to a number of health risks including bites from rabid animals. Smallholder farmers in Mwala utilize a number of options to communicate animal health problems; such sharing is, however, constrained by a number of factors including bad roads, poor coverage of mobile networks, and bad relationships between animal health providers and the farmers themselves. Some of the reasons why farmers delay the reporting of disease problems included the tendency for one to first try local herbal formulations, the bad times when cases are observed, and the unavailability of reliable animal health providers at the time when the farmers need them. This study has provided useful baseline data that can then be used to (1) design a village-based animal disease reporting system which is currently lacking in the surveyed villages and (2) support the county government’s efforts to manage animal diseases including zoonoses, through better reporting, for improved health, nutrition, and livelihoods.

Pattern of opportunistic infections and cytological changes in sputum specimen from HIV infected patients at Mbagathi District Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya

Background: Opportunistic infections are a major cause of death amongst HIV infected patients. Sputum is one of the specimens that have the potential for utilization in making a diagnosis of these opportunistic infections. Aim: To describe the types of opportunistic infections and cytological changes in sputum specimens in HIV infected patients attending Mbagathi District Hospital Nairobi Kenya. Material: Total of 100 HIV infected patients attending Mbagathi District Hospital from February to June 2013 were included in this study. Two sputum samples per patient were obtained from the 100 HIV infected patients, concentrated using bleach method and centrifuged and then stained with ZN and H&E stains. Results: HIV infected patients were mostly 31–40 years with 53% having a CD4+ count below 200 cells/mm3. The most common opportunistic pathogen was Mycobacterium species (30%) and Candida species (14%). No association was found between opportunistic pathogens and CD4+ count. Inflammatory changes were seen in 57% of patients, atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) in 4%, and negative findings in 34%. Discussion: Sputum cytology can be used for preliminary diagnoses of opportunistic pathogens before confirmatory test.