166 research outputs found
Kuchunguza Ubiblia Katika Tamthiliya za Emmanuel Mbogo
No full textLengo kuu la utafiti huu lilikuwa kuchunguza ubiblia katika tamthiliya za Emmanuel Mbogo kupitia tamthiliya zake za Nyerere na Safari ya Kanaani (2015) na Sadaka ya John Okello (2015). Ili kufikia lengo kuu tulikuwa na malengo mahsusi mawili; kubainisha utokezaji wa Ubiblia katika tamthiliya za Emmanuel Mbogo na kueleza sababu za utokezaji wa Biblia/mwangwi wa Biblia katika kazi hizo teule za Emmanuel Mbogo. Sampuli ya utafiti huu iliteuliwa kwa kutumia mbinu ya usampulishaji lengwa. Tamthiliya teule za Sadaka ya John Okello na Nyerere na Safari ya Kanaani, ziliteulewa kwa maksudi kabisa kwa kuwa ndizo ambazo zimeweza kumpatia mtafiti data alizozihitaji. Data zilikusanywa kwa kutumia mbinu ya usomaji makini. Uchambuzi wa data katika utafiti huu ulifanywa kwa kutumia mkabala wa kimaelezo. Aidha ukusanyaji, uchambuzi na kujadili data kuliongozwa na nadharia ya mwingilianomatini. Matokeo ya utafiti huu yameonesha kuwa kuna Ubiblia mwingi katika tamthiliya za Emmanuel Mbogo alizoziandika miaka ya karibuni. Vipengele vya kifani ndivyo vimetumika katika kubainisha ubiblia huo. Vipengele hivyo ni jina la kitabu, hadithi za kibiblia, wahusika wa kibiblia, nukuu za kibiblia na mtindo wa ushairi. Tamthiliya hizi mbili tulizozitafiti za Emmanuel Mbogo; Sadaka ya John Okello na Nyerere na Safari ya Kanaani zimeakisi mwangwi mkubwa wa Biblia. Kwa mfano kisakale cha wana wa Israel kukaa utumwani Misri na kisha kuanza safari kurejea kwao Kanaani katika Biblia kinapatikana kitabu cha “Kutoka”. Kisakale hiki kimeakisiwa kwa wingi katika tamthiliya ya Nyerere na Safari ya Kanaani, Kanaani ni nchi iliyojaa maziwa na asali kwa mujibu wa kisakale hicho
Kuchambua Mbinu za Kiaristotle na Zisizo za Kiaristotle katika Tamthiliya ya Sadaka ya John Okello
No full textUandishi wa tamthiliya kwa mwega wa Kiaristotle umekuwa na athari kubwa sana kwa waandishi wa Kiafrika. Katika fasihi ya Kiswahili, baadhi ya waandishi wa mwanzo walioathiriwa na mkabala huo ni Ebrahim Hussein na Penina Mlama (Wafula na wenzake, 2020). Makala haya yanachambua mbinu za Kiaristotle na zisizo za Kiaristotle katika tamthiliya ya Sadaka ya John Okello (Mbogo, 2015). Mbinu ya usomaji makini ndiyo imetumiwa kukusanya data. Data zimewasilishwa kwa Mkabala wa Kimaelezo. Ukusanyaji, uchambuzi na mjadala katika makala haya umeongozwa na Nadharia ya Kiaristotle. Kimsingi, Emmanuel Mbogo, mtunzi teule ametumia mbinu za Kiaristotle na zisizo za Kiaristotle katika tamthiliya ya Sadaka ya John Okello (2015). Mbinu za Kiaristotle zimejidhihirisha kupitia vipengele vya msuko, wahusika, lugha za kishairi, uteuzi wa misamiati, na dhamira. Mbinu zisizo za Kiaristotle zimejidhihirisha kupitia mbinu za monolojia, kuchanganya nathari na ushairi, pamoja na dayalojia. Makala haya yanaeleza kuwa tamthiliya ya Sadaka ya John Okello ni drama tanzia. Drama hii imebeba sifa nyingi za Kiaristotle na sifa chache zisizo za Kiaristotle. Mhusika mkuu John Okello amepitia mambo mazito na magumu ambayo mtu yeyote akikutana na kazi hii lazima ahisi huzuni moyoni mwake na amwonee mhusika huyu huruma kwa mateso na malipo mabaya aliyoyapata. Kutokana na mikondo mbalimbali ambayo drama tanzia inapitia si lazima tena shujaa au mhusika mkuu atoke familia ya tabaka la juu au tabaka tawala. Mhusika mkuu sasa anaweza kutoka tabaka lolote katika jamii yoyote
Journal of African Christian Biography: v. 10, no. 2 (April 2025) A quaterly publication of the Dictionary of African Christian Biography (www.DACB.org)
No full textFocus: Elizabeth Ruhubya (Uganda); M. O. Madile (Uganda); S. Otu and P. Mohenu (Ghana); Cape Coast History (Ghana)[In this issue, the leading biography—that of Elizabeth Ruhubya—is a striking illustration of the challenges mentioned above. It is a story that has been constructed out of shreds of sources, mostly about other more prominent figures, mostly men.
Emma Wild-Wood wrote this biography after her article “Looking for Elizabeth Ruhubya: Women’s Biographies and Problems of archival research in the Great Lakes Region,” which offers creative insights into how one can still reconstruct a biography using fragments but also by drawing from the local collective Christian witness. The biographies in this issue include Moses Ochwo Madile, a pioneer independent church founder from Uganda, by J. O. Moses Okello, Samuel Otu and
Paulo Mohenu, pioneers from the Basel Mission in Ghana, by Emmanuel Anim Nyanteh, and Silas Javan Aggrey Owiti, another independent church leader from Kenya, by Wilson Okonjo Adongo.
Finally, Cosmas Sarbah offers a biographical history of the Archdiocese of Cape Coast in Ghana, starting with the stories of the earliest founders and pioneers of early Roman Catholic missions in the Gold Coast and extending the narrative up to the
present time.
Prevalence and Determinants of Self‑Medication Among Adult Outpatients in a Rural Health Facility in Northern Uganda: A Cross‑Sectional Study
No full textPeter Philip Watuwa,1 Ronald Opito,1 Samuel Okello,2 Rachael Mercy Asapo,1 Innocent Baguma,1 Jorem Okello,1 Oscar Onap,1 Emmanuel Tiyo Ayikobua,3 Tonny Odung,4 Patrick Lubogo5 1Department of Public Health, Soroti University, Soroti, Uganda; 2Department of Nursing, Soroti University, Soroti, Uganda; 3Department of Physiology, Soroti University, Soroti, Uganda; 4Department of Health, Alebtong District Local Government, Alebtong, Uganda; 5Department of Pharmacology, Soroti University, Soroti, UgandaCorrespondence: Patrick Lubogo, Email [email protected]: Self-medication, defined as the use of medicines without prescription or supervision from a qualified healthcare provider, is common in low-resource settings. Rural communities may be disproportionately affected due to limited healthcare access, yet empirical data from Uganda remain scarce. This study aimed to fill this gap by assessing the prevalence, patterns, and factors associated with self-medication among outpatients in a rural health facility in Northern Uganda.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 248 adult outpatients at Alebtong Health Center IV using systematic random sampling. Data were collected via a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire capturing sociodemographic characteristics, patient-related factors, and health facility-related factors. Modified Poisson regression with robust standard errors was used to determine factors associated with self-medication, with significance set at p < 0.05.Results: Of 248 participants, 182 (73.4%) reported self-medication. The most frequently used drug classes were analgesics (36.3%), antibiotics (22.0%), and antimalarials (15.4%). Factors significantly associated with self-medication included tertiary education (aPR: 1.48; 95% CI: 1.04– 2.09), being self-employed (aPR: 1.62; 95% CI: 1.21– 2.18) or a student (aPR: 1.46; 95% CI: 1.07– 2.00), inability to obtain an appointment with a health worker (aPR: 1.36; 95% CI: 1.20– 1.55), and the lack of privacy during consultations (aPR: 1.21; 95% CI: 1.08– 1.36).Conclusion: Self-medication was highly prevalent among outpatients, particularly among individuals with tertiary education, the self-employed, and students. Limited access to health workers and the lack of privacy during consultations were also associated with this practice. Findings highlight the need for improved healthcare access, enhanced patient privacy, and greater involvement of frontline health workers in community education to promote responsible medicine use. As a cross-sectional study, causal relationships cannot be inferred.Keywords: self-medication, prevalence, rural health facility, Uganda, outpatients, associated factor
Characterisation of pathogenic Escherichia coli associated with food and irrigation water in South Africa
No full textThesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2018.Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) has been implicated in foodborne outbreaks worldwide and additionally associated with childhood stunting in the absence of diarrhoea. DEC are pathogenic E. coli that cause human gut gastrointestinal infections. They are categorized based on how they elicit disease into groups called pathotypes. Infection is extraordinarily common, but the routes of transmission have not been determined. This work categorized into three phases 1, 2 and 3 aimed at characterizing pathogenic E. coli previously isolated from food sources and irrigation water in South Africa. In phase 1, the study characterized 205 E. coli strains previously isolated from producer distributor bulk milk (PDBM)(n=118), irrigation water (n=48), irrigated lettuce (n=29) and street vendor coleslaw (n=10) in South Africa. Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) and diffusely adherent E. coli (DAEC) were sought. The study used PCR and partial gene sequencing for all 205 strains while 46 out of 205 that showed poor resolution were subsequently characterized using cell adherence (HeLa cells). PCR and partial gene sequencing of aatA and/or aaiC genes confirmed EAEC (2%, 5 out of 205) as the only pathotype. Strains from Genbank showing ?80% nucleotide sequence similarity with those used in this study based on possession of the aaiC gene included 10 clinical and 5 food strains. On the other hand, all strains from GenBank (n=22) showing high nucleotide sequence similarity (?80%) to those from this study based on possession of the aatA gene were clinical. Cluster analysis of sequenced EAEC strains with E. coli strains in GenBank showing ?80% nucleotide sequence similarity based on possession of aaiC and aatA generated distinct clusters of strains separated predominantly based on their source of isolation (food source or human stool). This suggested a potential role of virulence genes in source tracking. EAEC 24%, 11 out of 46 strains (PDBM=15%, irrigation water=7%, irrigated lettuce=2%) was similarly the predominant pathotype followed by strains showing invasiveness to HeLa cells, 4%, 2 out of 46 (PDBM=2%, irrigated lettuce=2%), using cell adherence. All strains that were not characterized based on possession of virulence genes and cell adherence assays were designated as non-DEC. These non-DEC strains were subsequently used as the basis for characterization in phase 2.
In phase 2, the study assayed non-DEC strains from environmental sources in South Africa for phenotypes that may be associated with intestinal dysfunction (ID). DEC strains were also used. The strains had previously been isolated from PDBM, irrigated lettuce, street vendor coleslaw and irrigation water. In-vitro assays included; biofilm formation (n=38), extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) formation (n=38), cytotoxic activity (n=10), disruption of tight junctions and induction of Interleukin 8 (IL-8) on polarized T-84 cells (n=20). The number of strains tested for each assay differed, depending on prior molecular and phenotypic characterization that signalled potential pathogenicity. Subsequently, all strains having data points for all analyses were used to compute Principal Component Analysis (PCA) plot curves to infer associations amongst test strains. Biofilm formation varied based on pathotype (DEC and non-DEC) and source of isolation suggesting these two factors influence persistence within a defined environmental niche. Additionally, DEC isolated from irrigated lettuce had significantly higher (p?0.05) biofilm formation in both media compared to all strains including DEC standard controls suggesting irrigated lettuce as a potential source of persistent pathogenic strains. All strains were able to form EPS suggesting ability to form mature biofilms. Of the (60%, 6 out of 10) strains showing cytotoxic activity, most (83%, 5 out of 6 strains) were non-DEC isolated from food sources. Mean percentage reduction in initial TER (a measure of intestinal disruption) in all test strains, was comparable (53.5 to 73.8%) to that observed in the standard DEC. Additionally, IL-8 induction from strains isolated from PDBM (139pg/mL), irrigation water (231.93pg/mL) and irrigated lettuce (152.98pg/mL) was significantly higher (p?0.05) than in the commensal strain aafa. PCA categorized strains based on sources of isolation and showed potential for use in source tracking. This study shows that non-DEC strains along the food chain possess characteristics that may lead to ID. However further investigations with a larger collection of strains may provide a clearer link to these observations.Food SciencePh
Application of value analysis concept on construction cost of low volume roads in Uganda
No full textxiii, 83 p. : ill. (some col.) ;The success of implementation of highway infrastructure projects is usually measured against three parameters; quality, time and cost. However, some of these projects do not achieve expected project goals in terms of quality. Secondly, project delivery is not within a reasonable amount of time, and finally, costs are not in line with their budget limits. This study applied Value Analysis (VA) methodology in the construction of Low Volume Roads (LVRs) in Uganda, to mitigate the aspects of time and cost but still ensuring that the functionality and quality aspects are not jeopardized, through the generation of innovative alternatives.
The methodology included document review and cost analysis of LVR projects previously implemented in ten districts in Northern and Eastern Uganda. In this study VA technique involved the employment of a composite or mixed method of work, incorporating both mechanization and manual labour during the Road Formation Phase (RFP), as opposed to the existing labour based methods. The VA technique was applied to two construction projects, that is: the construction of 800 meters of LVR in Financial Year (FY) 2017/18 in Kole District which project was undertaken by the researcher and during the construction of a 1,200 meter LVR in Bukedea District in the same year.
Comparison of the cost when the VA is used, with the current cost through hypothesis testing was done, and the alternative hypothesis that the cost reduces on application of the mixed method VA technique during the Road Formation Phase (RFP) was upheld at 95% confidence level. It was established that average cost per metre of LVR when using the conventional labour methods was UGX. 250,000, while an average cost per metre of UGX. 228,157 was achieved when the mixed method approach was used, thereby realizing an 8.7% reduction in the average cost per metre of the construction of LVRs.
The researcher thus concluded that the cost of LVR construction significantly reduces when VA is applied during the RFP. The researcher recommended the use of the mixed method VA technique for the ongoing and future LVR construction projects under the Low Cost Seal (LCS) Program and proposed that further research should be done to apply VA on the sealing phase of LVR construction.
Key Words:
Value Analysis, Cost per Metre, Mixed Method, Road Formation Phase, Low Volume Roads, Low Cost Seal
A report on NUSAF 3 implementation status in Kole District Uganda
No full textThe third Northern Uganda Social Action Fund (NUSAF 3) project is a successor five – year project to NUSAF 2 that closed on February 29th 2016. The project was approved by Cabinet on 5th August 2015; approved by Parliament of Uganda on 4th September 2015; and was declared effective by World Bank on March 14th 2016. NUSAF 3 project is funded by a 130 million-dollar Specific Investment Loan (SIL) from World Bank (IDA).
Uganda has experienced two decades of strong economic growth and a significant reduction in poverty. The National Development Plan (NDP) provides an overall framework for development in Uganda. However, despite this progress, a large number of the Ugandan population remains highly vulnerable. There are significant differences between poverty levels in different regions, with northern and eastern regions suffering worse poverty levels on a range of measures.
While poverty has declined sharply in central and western regions (in parts because of the growth in urban areas in these regions), much higher rates of poverty continue to characterize northern and eastern parts of the country. The persistence of poverty in these areas can be attributed to the legacy of conflict and violence.
The government of Uganda recognizes the need for additional investments to these regions with high poverty rates and poor socio-economic indicators. Both the second National Development Plan (NDP2) and Peace, Recovery and Development Plan (PRDP) highlights this need. The NDP2 recommends that special programs for areas with high poverty rates and poor socioeconomic indicators be supported with special interventions focusing on rebuilding and revitalizing the local economy an effort to raise the incomes.
As a result of the economic stagnation arising out of the two decades of insurgency in Northern Uganda, the Government of Uganda instituted a number of development interventions under Northern Uganda Reconstruction Programme (NURP) alongside other development partners’ interventions. As part of the broader NURP, the government implemented the first Northern Uganda Social Action Fund (NUSAF1) which was launched in February 2003 and closed on 31st March 2009. Because the need to eradicate poverty in the North was not accomplished by NUSAF1, the second Northern Uganda social action fund (NUSAF2), a 5-year government of Uganda project was officially launched on February 8th 2010 and closed on February 29th 2016 and now NUSAF 2 is succeeded by NUSAF 3.
NUSAF 3 has four components;
Component 1. Labor-Intensive Public Works and Disaster Risk Financing (LIPW).
Component 2. Livelihood Investment Support (LIS).
Component 3. Strengthening Transparency, Accountability, and Anti-Corruption (STAAC).
Component 4. Safety Net Mechanisms and Project Management.
This report mainly gives an account on the procedures taken during the selection, appraisal, design and implementation including environmental requirements of NUSAF 3 Projects in Kole district under LIPW. The implementation of the projects so far has resulted in a number of benefits to the community; among them include access to Social-economic infrastructures like Markets, Schools, Health centers and Safe drinking water sources and Improvement in income levels of the Households.
The fact that NUSAF3 project is Community driven, there are no gaps left in the implementation because the ownership of the project is by the community themselves. The communities were guided on the choice of the contractors, Management of project accounts etc. This led to smooth implementation of the projects for the projects completed so far and is recommended the methodology be adopted by government for future community related projects
Social entrepreneurship and the tensions between social, environmental, and business goals: a case of Uganda
No full textClimate change has resulted in a global environmental crisis, with deforestation, plastic pollution, soil degradation, and species extinction increasing. Businesses have contributed significantly to these issues through their manufacturing processes. While many companies have implemented sustainability initiatives, systemic environmental problems persist, and businesses continue to play a significant role. One reason for this is that profit often takes priority over environmental considerations, limiting the effectiveness of sustainability programs. In response, environmental social enterprises are gaining prominence as a potent alternative to conventional business models. These enterprises are commended for placing environmental value generation at their core. Nevertheless, the simultaneous pursuit of financial, socio-economic, and environmental goals can instigate conflicts, including those related to performing, organizing, belonging, learning, and those spanning various levels of analysis. These conflicts impede the intended outcomes of these enterprises. This challenge is particularly under-addressed within contexts distinct from North America and Europe, like Uganda, which possesses unique geographic, political, and cultural attributes. Investigating how environmental social enterprises in Uganda navigate goal-related contradictions is pivotal for comprehending their internal mechanisms and strategies for economic sustainability. This study adopted a qualitative research strategy grounded in the interpretivist paradigm. Employing multi-qualitative methods, including interviews with 20 key decision-makers from 4 environmental social enterprises, the study delved into their experiences and practices. The findings revealed that these enterprises grapple with tensions stemming from their endeavors to balance economic, environmental, and social objectives. These tensions manifest both anticipated and unanticipated effects on organizational performance. Strategies for managing these tensions encompass collaborations with other organizations, experimentation with diverse management approaches, and acknowledging tensions as inherent and potentially beneficial. Nevertheless, the efficacy of these strategies hinges on the organizational context and systemic factors such as government regulations. While facing similar tensions, environmental social enterprises also adopt varied tactics—proactive, defensive, or a combination thereof—to address conflicts rooted in their goals. The chosen response method holds implications for ecological outcomes, underscoring the importance of framing tensions appropriately. Nonetheless, persistent tensions that resurface due to their dynamic nature pose a challenge. Consequently, addressing such tensions necessitates an iterative approach, often entailing a fusion of strategies. To address tensions between social, environmental, and economic objectives in environmental social enterprises, policymakers, governments, and social entrepreneurs should collaborate to institute supportive policies, encourage partnerships, invest in education and capacity building, and establish evaluation frameworks. Implementing these recommendations can adeptly manage such conflicts, fostering sustainable development and success.Thesis (MCom) -- Faculty of Commerce, Rhodes Business School, 202
Bacteriological quality of South African irrigation water and its role as a source of contamination on irrigated lettuce
No full textDissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2013.A deteriorating trend has been noted in the bacteriological quality of surface irrigation water
sources in South Africa. In a bid to compare the bacteriological quality of two irrigation
water sources as well as whether irrigation water was a source of bacterial pathogens on
irrigated lettuce, this study was designed and divided into two phases. Phase one involved
determination of physico-chemical parameters and bacterial indicators in the Loskop canal,
the Skeerpoort river and lettuce irrigated with water from the Skeerpoort river over 10
months. Co-currently the study further determined the diversity of the most prevalent
bacterial microflora in the 3 sample sources over the same time period.
Aerobic colony counts (ACC), Aerobic spore formers (ASF), Anaerobic spore formers
(AnSF), Faecal coliforms (FC), Intestinal enterococci (IE) and Staphylococcus aureus (S.
aureus) as well as prevalence of Escherichia coli (E. coli), Salmonella spp and Listeria
monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) were determined. Additionally the most prevalent
aerobic bacterial species isolated from the three sources were determined. Higher mean
rainfall was noted in areas surrounding the Skeerpoort river (74.7mm) than the Loskop canal
(0.1mm). Mean temperature was 15.4˚C and 18.2˚C while mean pH was 7.4 and 8.4 in the
Loskop canal and the Skeerpoort river respectively. Low mean bacterial counts of less than
3.4 log10cfu/ml, were noted for ACC, ASF, AnSF, S. aureus and IE at both irrigation sites.
Higher mean ACC of 5.9 log10cfu/g and S. aureus counts of 3.0 log10cfu/g were noted on lettuce. Although low mean counts of FC (1.3 log10cfu/100ml) were noted for all three
sources, high incidence of E. coli was observed during bacterial composition studies on nonselective
media. This suggested underestimation of faecal contamination possibly indicating
that identification of specific pathogens provided a better measure of assessing bacterial
contamination than bacterial indicators. E. coli, Bacillus spp and Enterobacter spp were the
most prevalent bacteria in the Loskop canal, the Skeerpoort river and on lettuce. Prevalence
of E. coli, Bacillus spp and Enterobacter spp in the Loskop canal was 23%, 33% and 26%
respectively. Similarly prevalence in the Skeerpoort river was 36%, 26%, 16% respectively.
On lettuce prevalence of the same bacteria was 36%, 30% and 6% respectively. E. coli
O157:H7 was isolated at both irrigation sites while Salmonella enterica (gp 1) ST paratyphi
A was isolated from the Skeerpoort river. High prevalence of similar bacterial species within
the Loskop canal and the Skeerpoort river suggested similar sources of contamination in the
two water sources inspite of different geographical location and surrounding land use
practices. Additionally, similar bacterial species in irrigation water from the Skeerpoort river
and on irrigated lettuce suggested water as a source of contamination on produce.
Additionally it suggests ability of bacterial pathogens to withstand environmental conditions
under field conditions which may pose a risk to food safety and public health among
individuals consuming irrigated fresh produce.
Phase 2 aimed at determining the prevalence of antibiotic resistant and virulent E. coli
collected from the Loskop canal, the Skeerpoort river and lettuce irrigated with water from
the Skeerpoort river. Forty one (41) E. coli isolates: (19) Loskop canal; (12) the Skeerpoort
river; (10) lettuce were tested with 11 antibiotics at single concentrations and screened for
Shigatoxin 1 (stx 1), Shigatoxin 2 (stx 2) and intimin (eae) genes. Antibiotic resistance was
also used as a means of clustering E. coli isolated from the 3 sources. In the Loskop canal
84% and 83% of strains in the Skeerpoort river were resistant to at least one antibiotic. There
was a significant difference (p≤0.05) in resistance to antibiotics between isolates from the
Loskop canal and the Skeerpoort river. Additionally the combined effect of isolate source
(irrigation water site) and antibiotics for isolates from the Skeerpoort river was significant
(p≤0.05). From lettuce, 90% of isolates were resistant to at least one antibiotic and resistance
significantly differed (p≤0.05) from isolates in the Skeerpoort river. The highest resistance to
single antibiotics in all three samples was to cephalothin and ampicillin. Higher resistance
was noted to multiple (more than 2) antibiotics in the Skeerpoort river (33%) than Loskop
canal (5%). Most isolates from the same source showed close relatedness.
Close relatedness was noted between isolates from the Loksop canal (10.5%) and the
Skeerpoort river (16%). From irrigated lettuce 40% of isolates showed close relatedness to
isolates in irrigation water from the Skeerpoort river. In the Loskop canal 15% and 41% of
isolates in the Skeerpoort river possessed virulence genes. From lettuce, 20% of isolates
possessed virulence genes. In the Loskop canal as well as from lettuce all isolates with
virulence genes were antibiotic resistant while 80% of isolates with virulence genes in the Skeerpoort river were antibiotic resistant. In the Loskop canal 10% and 25% of isolates in
the Skeerpoort river were positive for stx1/stx2 and eae, genes synonymous with
Enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC). Results from this study show that E. coli from the two
irrigation water sources as well as on irrigated lettuce were resistant to antibiotics and
potentially pathogenic. This may increase risk of contaminating irrigated fresh produce which
may compromise food safety and public health of consumers.gm2014Food Scienceunrestricte
Improved hydrological understanding of a semi-arid subtropical transboundary basin using multiple techniques – the Incomati River Basin
No full textThis study aims at improving the hydrological process understanding of the semi-arid and transboundary Incomati river basin to enable better water management. Comprehensive statistical and trend analysis of rainfall and streamflow were conducted, and the Indicators of Hydrological Alteration tool was deployed to describe the streamflow regime and trends over time. Land use and land cover change, particularly the conversion of natural vegetation into forest plantation, the expansion of irrigated agriculture and the flow regulation due to dam operation were identified as critical drivers of flow regime alteration. Hydrograph separation using long-term hydrochemical data at seasonal scale, and hydrochemical and isotope data at event scale were performed to quantify runoff components. A novel methodology to calibrate recursive digital filters using routinely collected water quality data was developed and tested in the catchment. This method allows for estimation of daily baseflow from readily available daily streamflow data. Dominant runoff generation zones were mapped using the Height Above Nearest Drainage approach. The hydrological model STREAM was then employed, informed by the runoff generation zones mapping and the process understanding gained in the catchment, as well as remote sensing data. The study provides the basis for better operational water management in the catchment.Dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the Board for Doctorates of Delft University of Technology and of the Academic Board of the UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education.Water Resource
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