46 research outputs found
Akinyi et al_helminth costs and drivers
No full textThe file contains data on samples collected from female baboons to test the costs and drivers of helminth infection
Summary of parasites in a wild baboon population
No full textThis data set is a summary of the parasites collected for the study reported in Akinyi et al. 2013, Animal Behaviour, (Role of grooming in reducing tick load in wild baboons (Papio cynocephalus)). The table indicates the types of parasites encountered and their relative abundance in the darted individuals. The ectoparasites data are presented by the species of ticks collected and the number collected in each animal. The blood parasite data indicate the haemoparasites screened for by PCR and whether the individuals screened were positive or negative
Data for: A cross-sectional analysis identifies a low prevalence of Plasmodium ovale curtisi infections in symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals in Kilifi county, Kenya
No full textFor close to three decades malaria surveillance efforts in Kilifi county have mainly focused on P. falciparum. To our knowledge, there is a lack of data on the prevalence and trends of P. ovale in Kilifi county. To generate data for a proof-of-concept of molecular surveillance of P. ovale using the curtisi sub-species as an exemplar of non-Pf malarias, a convenient approach of archived samples, readily available primers and reagents were used to screen samples from cross-sectional studies in Kilifi county to: 1) determine the prevalence of P. ovale curtisi mixed and mono infections and 2) determine the sensitivity of different diagnostic assays in detecting P. ovale curtisi infections. This is the main data set for the Akinyi et al. Plasmodium ovale manuscript. This data set provides information on the prevalence of Plasmodium ovale across 3 sites in Kilifi county Kenya. It also provides microscopy and or PCR data for Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium malariae
Cryptosporidium and Blastocystis sp infections in wild primates from urban and peri-urban centres in Kenya
No full textEvidence of pathogen cross transmission between humans and primates has raised concerns about the potential impact of zoonotic pathogen transmission on primate and human health, and primate conservation. Cryptosporidium infection has been recorded in many primate species, indicating that they are likely to serve as potential reservoirs for human infections. We conducted molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium species infecting wild primates for insights into the little-known zoonotic transmission cycles in urban and peri-urban centres in Kenya. Rectal swabs were collected from a total of 65 primates, DNA extracted and screened by nested polymerase chain reaction. Overall, 43.08% of all the primates sampled were found positive for Cryptosporidium species with most infections occurring in adults. Positive cases of Cryptosporidium sp infection were distributed across all the study sites. Three of four sampled primate species (Papio anubis, Chlorocebus aethiops, Cercopithecus mitis) were positive for Cryptosporidium infections; one (Cercopithecus ascanius schmidts) was not. Sequencing results further revealed the presence of Blastocystis species. Strong bootstrap support showed a clear clustering of both Cryptosporidium and Blastocystis species obtained from this study with human isolates. In conclusion, both parasites have zoonotic potential and our findings highlight the importance of periodic surveillance of wild primate populations for zoonoses.Funding provided by: Duke UniversityCrossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100006510Award Number: Duke Office of Global affairs, Global enhancement grantFunding provided by: Consortium for National Health Research, Kenya *Crossref Funder Registry ID: Award Number:We trapped free-raging nonhuman primates (NHPs) in 2018 and 2019 from natural urban wildlife populations within five urban and peri-urban centres of selected towns in Kenya: in the western part of the country Kisumu, Kakamega, central Murang'a and on along the coast Mombasa and Kilifi. Sampling was carried out as previously described (Maamun et al., 2011, Jeneby et al.,, 2011). To avoid re-trapping of study subjects, we applied a non-toxic dye to the fur to identify sampled individuals, An authorised wildlife veterinarian physically examined the animals under anaesthesia and recorded their general health, sex and age group as described Nyamota et al., (2020) and Mbuthia et al., (2021). Sampled primates included Papio anubis (olive baboon), Chlorocebus aethiops (African green monkey), Cercopithecus mitis (Sykes monkeys) and Cercopithecus ascanius schmidts (red-tailed monkey). Faecal samples were collected from the rectum via swabbing and stored in 70% ethanol for molecular assays
A Dangerous Cut: A Solo Performance about Traditional Circumcision Practices in Kenya
No full textThesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2023A Dangerous Cut is a solo performance piece from the perspective and experience of a Kenyan mother dealing with the loss of her son due to cultural and traditional circumcision practices. This piece provides a closer look at the involvement of the church as well as the community structures that allow for traditional circumcision methods to continue in Kenya
Grooming and its Effect on the Prevalence of Tick Borne Diseases: A Case Study of Wild Yellow Baboons (Papio cynocephalus cynocephalus)
No full textBehavioral studies on grooming in nonhuman primates have been carried out by several primatologists over the years. Nonhuman primates spend a lot of time grooming for various reasons which include health and social functions. These nonhuman primates are exposed to ectoparasites in the wild which include ticks that act as vectors in the transmission of several diseases including haemoparasitic infections in animals. This study aimed at determining whether there is a relationship between the frequency of grooming received by a baboon and its ectoparasite load. It also aimed to find out whether reduced ectoparasite load results in lower prevalence of haemoparasitic infections transmitted by ticks. The study focused on a population of wild yellow baboons (papio cynopcephalus cynocephalus), and examined the relationship, in
each study subject, between grooming behavior, tick load, and haemoprotozoan infection status. The methodology included ad libitum and focal sampling methods of measuring grooming
behavior; it also included darting and physical examination of animals for disease indicators, haematological laboratory examination of samples such as blood smears, packed cell volume (PCV) determination, and molecular diagnosis of haemoparasites using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Data management and analysis was carried out using STAr A 10 statistical software. The results showed that the frequency of grooming received was influenced by the age, rank, sex and the social group to which an individual animal belonged. The ectoparasite load was influenced mainly by the age of the animal such that older animals were more hkely to have a higher tick load compared to the younger ones (p = 0.025, Odds Ratio = 1.118, n = 59), and to a lesser extent it was also influenced by the frequency of grooming received (p = 0.083, Odds Ratio = 0.968, n = 59) and dominance rank (p = 0.056, Odds Ratio = 0.870, n = 59). The results also showed a low prevalence of Babesia species in this population of animals. The physical examination did not reveal any signs of acute infection by this parasite. Other physiological
indices of the presence of infection such as packed cell volume were affected by the ectoparasite load, age and sex. The data strongly suggested a relationship between grooming and tick load,
such that animals that were groomed more had fewer ticks. The effect was significant in a nonparametric bivariate test of total tick count versus grooming (p = 0.0036), and showed a strong trend in a multivariate analysis using a categorical variable (ticks present vs ticks absent; p = 0.086). However, the results did not reveal any significant relationship between haemoprotozoan infections verses grooming
Disease Risk in Wild Primate Populations: Host and Environmental Predictors, Immune Responses and Costs of Infection
No full textDisease risk in wild animal populations is driven by multiple factors, including host, parasite, and environmental traits, that facilitate the transmission of parasites and infection of hosts. Parasites inflict costs on their hosts that affect host fitness with downstream consequences on population structures and disease emergence patterns. Most disease risk-related studies are conducted in captive animals, while few have focused on free-ranging populations because of the logistical challenges associated with long-term monitoring of the hosts and sample collection. Hence, data regarding disease dynamics in natural populations are scarce, which limits our understanding of the ecological and evolutionary context of disease dynamics. In this thesis, we investigate the forces driving disease risk in wild primates and the possible consequences of infection on these hosts.We used longitudinal and cross-sectional data sets from wild primate populations in Kenya, Eastern Africa, to examine the following aims: 1) the effect of host behavior on hormones associated with disease risk, 2) environmental and host factors that predispose individuals to helminth infections, and 3) the immune responses and fitness costs associated with helminth infections. First, we investigated how two maturational milestones in wild male baboons—natal dispersal and rank attainment—were associated with variation in fecal hormone metabolites (glucocorticoids and testosterone). These two hormones are generally considered to be immunosuppressive and are often associated with high parasite loads. Within this analysis, we also investigated whether changes in the frequencies of behaviors (mating and agonistic encounters) were associated with adult dominance rank attainment. Second, we investigated multiple sources of variance in helminth burdens in a well-studied population of wild female baboons, including factors that contribute to both exposure and susceptibility (group size, social status, rainfall, temperature, age, and reproductive status). Third, we investigated how hematological indices and body mass index were associated with helminth burden. In the first study, our results revealed that rank attainment is associated with an increase in fecal glucocorticoids (fGC) levels but not fecal testosterone (fT) levels: males that have achieved an adult rank have higher fGC than males that have not yet attained an adult rank. We also found that males win more agonistic encounters and acquire more reproductive opportunities after they have attained adult rank than before they have done so. The second study revealed that female baboons in Amboseli were infected with diverse helminth taxa, including both directly transmitted and indirectly transmitted helminths. In general, high parasite risk was linked to large group sizes, low rainfall conditions, old age, and pregnancy, although these predictors varied somewhat across helminth species. Fecal GC levels were not associated with any measures of helminth burden. The third study found that helminth burdens were positively associated with circulating lymphocyte counts and negatively associated with neutrophil-lymphocyte ratios (NLR). We did not find any associations between helminth burdens and total WBC or eosinophil counts. Red blood cell indices were not predicted by our measures of helminth burden but instead varied with age class and sex. Helminth burdens were also negatively correlated with body mass index (BMI).Overall, the findings of this thesis are consistent with the hypothesis that host and environmental traits are important predictors of disease risk and infection in wild primate populations. In addition, our results suggest that wild primates mount immune responses to helminth burden and that helminth infections may have detrimental consequences on host body condition. Our work enhances the limited data on sources of disease variation and associated costs in wild populations. It also emphasizes the continued need for disease surveillance and health monitoring in wild populations.</p
Internal Communication Strategies And Competitiveness Of Commercial Bank Of Africa In Kenya
No full textThe banking sector has increasingly experienced a lot of changes in their strategies due to the competitive nature of the industry. The adoption of a robust internal communication strategy in the new era of technology is amongst the key strategies that the industry has embraced. There are also a lot of changes that are taking place in the banking space and it is therefore imperative to have a proper internal communication structure in place to ensure that the other stakeholders do not feel left out. The objective of this research project was to determine the internal communication strategies and the competitiveness of Commercial Bank of Africa in Kenya. The research sought to establish the internal communication strategies adopted by Commercial Bank of Africa and whether these strategies adopted are in any way aiding the bank in remaining competitive within the banking industry in Kenya. The research adopted a case study approach, thus the focus on Commercial Bank of Africa Kenya. The two theories which underpinned this research include Constructive theory of communication and the Resource based view theory. Since the information gathered were qualitative in nature, the study adopted an interview guide as an instrument for data collection. Content analysis was the method used to interpret the raw data collected from the interview. The findings of the study revealed the very critical role of the internal communication strategies adopted by Commercial Bank of Africa to ensure that it remains competitive in the market. The study further revealed that the banking industry has become very dynamic and having a robust strategy in place was needed in order adapt in the ever changing environment. These internal communication strategies include education and training, internal customer image, quality standards and systems of reward. The study results further ascertained that Commercial Bank of Africa has successfully used these strategies to externally position itself as one of the Tier one banks in Kenya. It has further been able to increase its external client base and loyalty because the internal customer has been well catered for. On the basis of the findings, the study has made recommendations to the policy makers, the management and the theorist. To the policy makers the study recommended that the policies should be streamlined to ensure that the internal communications strategies are effectively implemented for enhanced results. To the management the study recommended that internal communication should be treated as a critical strategy and should not be undervalued as a strategy
Longitudinal study regarding Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato populations in defined habitats in Latvia
No full textBorrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (B. burgdorferi s.l.) is a species complex that currently comprise 22 named or proposed genospecies. In Europe five species are known to be the agents of the human disease - Lyme borreliosis (LB). With approximately 650,000-850,000 assumed new LB cases in Europe annually, LB is the most common human tick-borne disease in Europe (Lit EU). For control measures and eventual prevention of this tick-borne disease, it will be beneficial to study and interpret the B. burgdorferi s.l. population dynamics and structure. The bacteria are maintained in a natural transmission cycle between reservoir hosts and ticks of the genus Ixodes. Keeping in mind that the tick vectors` life cycle may be up to more than five years, long term studies are required for a better understanding of such correlations. Hence this study is designed to cover the tick sampling periods between 1999 and 2010 in defined habitats in Latvia. As preliminary study the most economical and efficient method for DNA extraction was determined. Subsequently polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) was used to obtain information about population structure, fluctuations and stability regarding B. burgdorferi s.l.. The average prevalence over all years was 18.9 %. From initial high infection prevalences of 25.5 %, 33.1 % and 31.8 %, from 2002 onwards the infection rates steadily decreased to 7.3 % in 2010. Borrelia afzelii and B. garinii were the most commonly found genospecies but striking local differences were obvious. In one habitat, a significant shift from rodent-associated to birdassociated Borrelia species was noted whilst in the other habitats, Borrelia species composition was relatively stable over time. Sequence types (STs) showed a random spatial and temporal distribution. These results demonstrated that there are temporal regional changes and extrapolations from one habitat to the next are not possible
Grooming and ectoparasite load in wild baboons.
No full textThis data set underlies results presented in Akinyi et al. 2013, Animal Behaviour, (Role of grooming in reducing tick load in wild baboons (Papio cynocephalus)). The study was conducted on adult members of a wild baboon population in Amboseli, southern Kenya. The data set includes demographic data on individual age, sex and group membership, as well as behavioural data on grooming and dominance rank. The dataset also includes tick counts and packed cell volume (PCV) analysis from baboons darted during darting and immobilization projects in 2007–2008. Subject numbers represent each individual data was collected for. Sex describes whether the individual was female (F) or male (M). Year darted indicates the year in which each individual was darted. Age describes each individual’s age (to the nearest year) at darting. Social group at darting categorises the group each individual belonged to at the time of darting and group size indicates the total number of individuals in the group during the six months that grooming data was retrieved. Grooming counts 6 months prior to darting contains the counts of grooming received by each study animal in the 6 months prior to their darting date. Mean PCV at darting is calculated from the average of two to three replicate PCV measurements were obtained per animal during darting. Adult and larvae tick counts are the number of ticks collected and counted from each individual. These data were extracted from the long-term relational database for the Amboseli Baboon Research Project, BABASE
