Arusha Region Research Articles

Anthropometry and Nutritional Status of Primary School Children in a Sub-urban Region in Tanzania

Background: Although undernutrition in children is widely recognized as a major health problem in Tanzania, region-specific prevalence data remain scarce. The objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence of stunting and thinness among primary-school-aged children in a village in the Arusha region in Tanzania, with the aim of developing a targeted nutritional support program. Methods: In the present school-based cross-sectional study, anthropometric measurements were obtained for all children (n = 1,379) who attended Baraa primary school in the Baraa village located at the transition between a rural and urban area in the Arusha region. The data were compared with the world health organization (WHO) 2007 growth reference data for individuals between the ages of 5 to 19. Continuous variables were compared using the t-test, while categorical variables were compared using Pearson’s chi-square test. Spearman’s correlation and χ 2for trend were used to compare the trend of continuous and categorical variables, respectively. Results: Basic anthropometric values of the study participants were significantly lower than those of the reference population. The mean values of z-scores significantly differed from zero. No gender differences in the prevalence of stunting and thinness were found. Three hundred and twenty-six children (23.7%) suffered from at least one form of undernutrition: 225 (16.3%) were stunted while 156 (11.3%) were thin. The prevalence of both stunting and thinness was at its lowest in the youngest children (5 - 9 years) and highest in the oldest children (14 - 19 years). Furthermore, 54 (16.5%) of the undernourished children suffered from multiple forms of undernutrition. Conclusions: Undernutrition remains prevalent among primary-school-aged children in the Arusha region, Tanzania. Moreover, a high proportion of children suffer from a combination of different forms of undernutrition, with an increase in the prevalence of undernutrition with age.

Challenges Facing Small Scale Entrepreneuresin Accessing Loan from Banks at Ngongongare, Meru District, Arusha Region in Tanzania

Challenges Facing Small Scale Entrepreneuresin Accessing Loan from Banks at Ngongongare, Meru District, Arusha Region in Tanzania

Comparative Study on the Usage of Information Technology (It) On Internal Control Systems (Ics) In Private and Public Secondary Schools in Arumeru District

The main aim of this study was to compare the Usage of Information Technology (IT) on Internal Controls System (ICS) in Private and Public Secondary Schools in Arumeru District of Arusha Region in Tanzania. This research adopted causal research design approach. The findings revealed that majority of the respondents disagreed with application of information technology on internal control systems in their schools. The results from private schools showed that the application of information technology on Internal Control Systems was higher while those of public schools showed that the application of information technology on Internal Control System was lower. The results further revealed that Internal Control System take place among Public and Private Secondary Schools in Arumeru District. The findings revealed that, the independent sample t –test indicates that the Sig. of .000 is less than the critical value (.005) which implies that the difference of mean scores between public and private schools was significant. This implies that private schools are doing better in the application of information technology on internal control system than their public school counterparts. Therefore, the null hypothesis was rejected and maintained that there is a significant difference in the application of Information Technology on Internal Control System (ICS) in Arumeru District by school stakeholders categorized according to type of schools. The researchers recommend that schools should increase their budget to support information technology in public secondary schools to enhance their IT facilities, qualified personnel in the usage of information technology, and up to date software for internal control system. Further the researchers recommend that future researchers should research on the usage of IT in teaching.

How promoting consumption of traditional African vegetables affects household nutrition security in Tanzania

AbstractTraditional African vegetables have recently received considerable attention for their contribution to food and nutrition security and opportunities for enhancing smallholder livelihoods. Promoting the production and consumption of traditional vegetables is expected to enhance household nutrition among urban and rural households. The Good Seed Initiative (GSI) program promoted production and consumption of nutrient-dense traditional African vegetables in Arusha region in Tanzania to reduce malnutrition through diet diversification. We estimated the impact of promotion activities on households, women, and children's dietary diversity. The study used cross-sectional data from 258 and 242 households in intervention and control regions, respectively, and applied matching techniques and inverse probability weighting to control for unobserved heterogeneity and selection bias, which could otherwise bias the outcome estimates. We found that households benefiting from traditional vegetable promotion and demand creation activities had significantly higher dietary diversity of children under 5 yr and women in reproductive age. We found no significant impact of promotion activities on households’ dietary diversity. The policy implication is that scaling up promotional and demand creation activities to encourage consumers to grow and eat traditional African vegetables would be an important element in initiatives to increase dietary diversity, particularly for children under 5 and women in Tanzania.

Knowledge and Practices Relating to Acute Pesticide Poisoning Among Health Care Providers in Selected Regions of Tanzania.

Background:Acute pesticide poisoning (APP) is commonly underdiagnosed in Tanzania. Studies in developing countries suggest that a lack of diagnostic skills among health care providers (HCPs) undermines surveillance for APP. This study aimed at characterizing experience and skills of Tanzanian HCPs regarding APP diagnosis and management.Methodology:The population included HCPs responsible for managing APP in Kilimanjaro and Arusha regions (n = 91). The resulting sample included 66 respondents (response rate: 73%). The data were collected in 2005 using a standardized questionnaire.Results:Half of all respondents (50%) reported handling at least 1 APP case with 15% reporting handling more than 5 cases in the past. Reported experience of handling an APP case was marginally higher in respondents who reported ⩾4 years of work experience in the health sector compared with those with <4 years of work experience (odds ratio = 1.32; 95% confidence interval = 0.9-1.5). Most of the respondents had high knowledge of exposure routes, reporting awareness of oral (98.5%), inhalational (93.9%), and dermal (77%) routes. The study revealed low awareness of pesticide classification by chemical groups (29%) or World Health Organization hazard (0%) and weak knowledge on pesticide label instructions (55%). Organophosphates accounted for 35% of the pesticide products reported by respondents as being responsible for poisoning. Some treatment options were incorrectly reported as first aid options, and some reported first aid options were wrong or inappropriate.Conclusions:The study revealed that HCPs in northern Tanzania lack adequate skills to diagnose and manage APP. For effective surveillance of APP, there is a need to include training on hazards, classification, diagnosis, and health effects in the training programmes for all HCPs in Tanzania.

Climate Change Influences Potential Distribution of Infected Aedes aegypti Co-Occurrence with Dengue Epidemics Risk Areas in Tanzania.

BackgroundDengue is the second most important vector-borne disease of humans globally after malaria. Incidence of dengue infections has dramatically increased recently, potentially due to changing climate. Climate projections models predict increases in average annual temperature, precipitation and extreme events in the future. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of changing climate on distribution of dengue vectors in relation to epidemic risk areas in Tanzania.Methods/FindingsWe used ecological niche models that incorporated presence-only infected Aedes aegypti data co-occurrence with dengue virus to estimate potential distribution of epidemic risk areas. Model input data on infected Ae. aegypti was collected during the May to June 2014 epidemic in Dar es Salaam. Bioclimatic predictors for current and future projections were also used as model inputs. Model predictions indicated that habitat suitability for infected Ae. aegypti co-occurrence with dengue virus in current scenarios is highly localized in the coastal areas, including Dar es Salaam, Pwani, Morogoro, Tanga and Zanzibar. Models indicate that areas of Kigoma, Ruvuma, Lindi, and those around Lake Victoria are also at risk. Projecting to 2020, we show that risk emerges in Mara, Arusha, Kagera and Manyara regions, but disappears in parts of Morogoro, Ruvuma and near Lake Nyasa. In 2050 climate scenario, the predicted habitat suitability of infected Ae. aegypti co-occurrence with dengue shifted towards the central and north-eastern parts with intensification in areas around all major lakes. Generally, model findings indicated that the coastal regions would remain at high risk for dengue epidemic through 2050.Conclusion/SignificanceModels incorporating climate change scenarios to predict emerging risk areas for dengue epidemics in Tanzania show that the anticipated risk is immense and results help guiding public health policy decisions on surveillance and control of dengue epidemics. A collaborative approach is recommended to develop and adapt control and prevention strategies.

Pesticide exposure from fresh tomatoes and its relationship with pesticide application practices in Meru district

AbstractTomato pesticides health risk was assessed in Meru district of Arusha region, one of the key tomato producers in Tanzania. Tomato samples and consumption information were collected from 50 farmers using Food and Drug Administration standards and twice administered twenty-four hour recall questionnaire respectively. Analysis for pesticide residues was done using Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry. Dietary pesticide exposure was estimated deterministically by combining pesticide residue levels and tomato consumption levels. Pesticide levels were detected for; permethrin (mean, 5.2899 mg/kg/day), chlorpyrifos (mean, 7.5281 mg/kg/day) and ridomil (mean, 2,854.279 mg/kg/day) in 18% of samples. Health Risk Indices, determined as ratio of estimated daily intake to acceptable daily exposure, for chlorpyrifos, permethrin and ridomil were greater than one. This implies that, lifetime consumption of fresh tomatoes can pose health risk for chlorpyrifos, permethrin and ridomil. Awareness raising on good prac...

Diagnosis of human fascioliasis in Arusha region, northern Tanzania by microscopy and clinical manifestations in patients.

BackgroundHuman fascioliasis (HF) is a zoonotic disease that has been identified in many countries worldwide. This report concerns the identification and clinical management of cases of human fascioliasis in the suburbs of Arusha city, northern Tanzania in 2013. Fascioliasis is included among the WHO’s Neglected Tropical Diseases as a plant transmitted trematode infection. Human fascioliasis has not been described before in the East Africa region, including Tanzania.MethodsPatients presenting at a primary healthcare centre in Arusha Region, northern Tanzania provided fresh stool samples for routine ova and parasite screening (saline and iodine preparations). Subsequent stool samples were preserved in 5 % formalin in saline and subjected to ether sedimentation for examination.ResultsOut of 1460 patients, 305 (21 %) were diagnosed positive for fascioliasis based on the demonstration of brownish, oval eggs with inconspicuous opercula in stool. Two distinct egg sizes were identified; large 170–212.5 by 115–150 μm (mean 194.5 by 130.5 μm) and smaller eggs 120–150 by 87.5 – 112.5 μm (mean 138.8 by 101 μm). Clinically, patients presented with fever (39 - 40 °C) and abdominal pain. Some patients had pruritis around the mouth and their lips were swollen. 3 patients were treated and cured with single dose Triclabendazole. The remaining 302 patients were treated with Nitazoxanide and 122 (40 %) were cleared of infection with a single course. Snails of the genus Lymnaea were found in the surroundings.ConclusionsThis report serves to remind medical professionals in East Africa that HF is a probable differential diagnosis in patients presenting with similar symptoms. It is possible to diagnose fascioliasis by light microscopy although specific antigen tests are required for confirmation. Human fascioliasis however, has not been described or reported in Tanzania before and begs further investigation.

Eradicating female genital mutilation and cutting in Tanzania: an observational study.

BackgroundFemale genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C) has long been practiced in various parts of the world. The practice is still prevalent in 29 countries on the African continent despite decades of campaigning to eradicate it. The approaches for eradication have been multi-pronged, including but not limited to, health risk campaigns teaching about the health consequences for the girls and the women, recruitment of change agents from within the communities and the enforcement of legal mechanisms.The purpose of this study was to analyse the impact of an 18 month long campaign to eradicate or reduce FGM/C in a rural predominantly Masai community.MethodsAn observational study involving mixed methods, quantitative and qualitative was conducted in Arusha region, Tanzania. A household survey, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, school children's group discussions and project document reviews for both baseline and endline assessments were used. Same tools were used for both baseline and endline assessements. Comparison of baseline and endline findings and conclusions were drawn.ResultsThe prevalence of self reported FGM/C at endline was 69.2 %. However, physical obstetric examination of women in labour revealed a prevalence of over 95 % FGM/C among women in labour.Those in favour of FGM/C eradication were 88 %. Nearly a third of the 100 FGM practitioners had denounced the practice; they also formed a peer group that met regularly comparing baseline and endline. Knowledge about FGM/C health risks increased from 16 to 30 % (p < 0.001). The practice is currently done secretly to an uncertain extent.ConclusionThis multifaceted educational campaign achieved moderate success in increasing knowledge of the health risks and changing attitudes despite a short period of intervention. However, its effectiveness in reducing FGM/C prevalence was uncertain.

Snakes and snakebite envenoming in Northern Tanzania: a neglected tropical health problem.

BackgroundSnakebites cause considerable human and livestock injuries as well as deaths worldwide, and particularly have a high impact in sub-Saharan Africa. Generating a basic platform of information on the characteristics of snakes and snakebites in various countries is relevant for designing and implementing public health interventions.MethodsThis study was performed to identify types of snakes and some of the characteristics of snakebite cases in two communities, an agricultural and a pastoralist, in Arusha region, northern Tanzania. A total of 30 field visits were carried out in areas considered by local inhabitants to be potential microhabitats for snakes. Direct observation of snake types based on morphological features and a structured questionnaire were employed for data collection.ResultsA total of 25 live and 14 dead snakes were encountered. Among the dead ones, the following species were identified: two black-necked spitting cobras (Naja nigricollis); five puff adders (Bitis arietans), one common egg-eater (Dasypeltis scabra); two rufous-beaked snakes (Ramphiophis rostratus); two brown house snakes (Lamprophis fuliginosus); one Kenyan sand boa (Eryx colubrinus), and one black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis). The frequency of snake encounters was significantly higher (χ2 = 4.6; p = 0.03) in the pastoral than in the agricultural area; there were more snakebite cases in the former, but the differences were not statistically significant (p = 0.7). A total of 242 snakebite victims attended at the Meserani Clinic, located in the study area, between the years 2007 to 2012. Of all cases, 146 (61.6 %) and 96 (38.4 %) were male and female patients, respectively. As for age distribution, 59.1 % of snakebite victims were from the economically active age groups between 15 and 55 years.ConclusionSnakebites are a threat to rural communities and public health in general. The burden of snakebites in Tanzania presents an epidemiologically similar picture to other tropical countries. Livestock keeping and agriculture are the major economic activities associated with snakebites. Community-based public education is required to create awareness on venomous snakes and predisposing factors to snakebites. These tasks demand integration of diverse stakeholders to achieve a common goal of reducing the impact of human suffering from these envenomings in Tanzania.

Experienced and Perceived Risks of Mycobacterial Diseases: A Cross Sectional Study among Agropastoral Communities in Northern Tanzania.

ObjectiveThe current study was conducted to assess experienced risk factors and perceptions of mycobacterial diseases in communities in northern Tanzania.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study in Arusha and Manyara regions in Northern Tanzania. We enrolled tuberculosis (TB) patients attending Mount Meru Hospital, Enduleni Hospital and Haydom Lutheran Hospitals in Arusha municipality, Ngorongoro and Mbulu districts, respectively. Patient addresses were recorded during their first visit to the hospitals. Patients with confirmed diagnosis of TB by sputum smear microscopy and/or culture at central laboratory were followed up and interviewed using pre-tested questionnaires, and selected relatives and neighbors were also interviewed. The study was conducted between June 2011 and May 2013.ResultsThe study involved 164 respondents: 41(25%) were TB patients, 68(41.5%) were their relatives and 55(33.5%) their neighbors. Sixty four (39%) knew a risk factor for mycobacterial disease. Overall, 64(39%) perceived to be at risk of mycobacterial diseases. Exposure to potential risks of mycobacterial diseases were: keeping livestock, not boiling drinking water, large family, smoking and sharing dwelling with TB patients. Rural dwellers were more often livestock keepers (p<0.01), more often shared dwelling with livestock (p<0.01) than urban dwellers. More primary school leavers reported sharing dwelling with TB patients than participants with secondary and higher education (p = 0.01).ConclusionLivestock keeping, sharing dwelling with livestock, sharing household with a TB patient were perceived risk factors for mycobacterial diseases and the participants were exposed to some of these risk factors. Improving knowledge about the risk factors may protect them from these serious diseases.

English

Traditional African vegetables are receiving more attention for their significant contribution to food and nutrition security and enhanced livelihoods of smallholders. Although demand is increasing for these nutrients-dense crops, the production of traditional vegetables in Tanzania remains low. Technical innovations can reduce yield gaps and increase the productivity of traditional vegetable crops. This paper measures the technical efficiency of farm households that produce traditional vegetables in Tanzania using a Cobb-Douglas stochastic frontier production function. This study reports data from a primary survey of 181 households that cultivated traditional vegetables in five regions (Arusha, Tanga, Morogoro, Dodoma and Dar es Salaam) of Tanzania. The results show that overall mean technical efficiency is 67%. It indicates that if the average farmer of the sample could achieve the technical efficiency level of most efficient counterpart, then average farmers of the sample could increase their output by 27% with better use of available production resources given the current state of technology. Farmers were observed to be more technically efficient in the Arusha region than in the other study regions. Possible reasons for the observed regional difference include agroclimatic variability, access to extension services, and infrastructure facilities. A linear relationship exists between farm size and technical efficiency. The study concludes that strengthening farmer associations to encourage knowledge sharing and enhancing the existing cluster approach to farming may help to improve technical efficiency. Key words: Smallholders, inefficiency, resource use, inputs, technology.

Prevalence and predictors of HIV sero-discordance among cohabiting couples tested in northern Tanzania.

IntroductionIn sub-Saharan Africa where HIV/AIDS epidemic is predominantly generalized, majority of HIV infections occur among heterosexual couples. The majority of people do not know their sero-status. Thus, utilisation of Couples’ HIV Counselling and Testing (CHCT) services remain to be critical in preventing new infections. The objective was to establish prevalence and predictors of HIV sero-discordance among cohabiting couples presenting for CHCT services in northern Tanzania.MethodsA cross-sectional study inteveviewed 1,333 couples aged 18-49 years tested from 2005 to 2007 in Kilimanjaro and Arusha regions. A CHCT checklist was used to collect data from couples. Data were analyzed using STATA 10.ResultsGenerally, 220(16%) out of 1,333 couples were HIV sero-discordant. In sero-discordance unions, women were likely to be HIV positive than men (71% versus 29% respectively p<0.001). HIV sero-discordant relationship was associated with age (35-45 years) for both men and women (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR): 2.3, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.7-3.2) and (AOR: 2.6, 95% CI 1.9-3.7) respectively. Women with older men partners were less likely to be in HIV sero-discordance relationships (AOR: 0.5 95% CI 0.3-09). Arusha couples were likely to be HIV sero-discordant than those of Kilimanjaro (AOR: 2.3 95% CI 1.7-3.2). Couples living far away from CHCT centres were less likely to be sero-discordant than those live nearby (AOR: 0.4 95% CI 0.2-0.9).ConclusionHIV sero-discordance prevalence is high among our participants. Thus, we recommend CHCT utilization should widely be promoted as entry point in treatment as prevention strategy in order to protect uninfected partners in HIV sero-discordance relationships.

A study of Rift Valley fever virus in Morogoro and Arusha regions of Tanzania – serology and farmers’ perceptions

IntroductionRift Valley fever (RVF) is a zoonosis primarily affecting ruminants, resulting in epidemic abortions, fever, nasal and ocular discharges, haemorrhagic diarrhoea, and a high mortality rate among young animals. Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is an arthropod-borne RNA virus occurring in epizootic periods associated with heavy rainfall. The last outbreak of RVF in Tanzania was in 2006–2007, resulting in severe economic losses and impaired food security due to greater number of deaths of livestock. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of antibodies against RVFV in sheep and goats in two different regions of Tanzania during an inter-epidemic period (IEP). In addition, the perception of important diseases among livestock keepers was assessed.Material and methodsA cross-sectional serological survey was conducted in three purposively selected districts in Arusha and Morogoro regions of Tanzania. Serum samples from 354 sheep and goats were analysed in a commercial RVFV competitive ELISA. At the sampling missions, a questionnaire was used to estimate the socio-economic impact of infectious diseases.Results and discussionIn total, 8.2% of the analysed samples were seropositive to RVF, and most seropositive animals were younger than 7 years, indicating a continuous circulation of RVFV in the two regions. None of the livestock keepers mentioned RVF as an important livestock disease.ConclusionsThis study confirms that RVFV is circulating at low levels in small ruminants during IEPs. In spite of recurring RVF outbreaks in Tanzania, livestock keepers seem to have a low awareness of the disease, making them poorly prepared and thus more vulnerable to future RVF outbreaks.

Self-reported Health Effects among Short and Long-term Pesticide Sprayers in Arusha, Northern Tanzania: A cross Sectional Study

Background: The aim of the present study was to assess whether long-term exposure to pesticides is associated with adverse health effects in professional pesticide sprayers. Methods: The study was conducted in Lake Eyasi Basin and Ngarenanyuki in Arusha region, during the dry season in September-October 2013. In a cross-sectional study, 97 short-term exposed men with at most three months as professional sprayers were compared with 60 long-term exposed men with experience of at least five years as professional sprayers. The study participants were aged 18-30 years, drawn from the same source population and interviewed using semi structured questionnaire. The questions focused on spraying procedures and on present and recurrent medical history including presence of selected six known pesticide induced health conditions. Results: Organophosphates, carbamates, dithiocarbamates and pyrethroids were the most applied insecticides but also organochlorine fungicides and endosulfan were frequently applied. The majority of the sprayers reported unsafe pesticide use. Mean pesticide uses in litres, spray frequency per crop and per week were 637, and 1.3 respectively for about 270 days a year. Respiratory disease symptoms were the most frequently reported (46/157; 29.3%) followed by skin (27/157; 17.2%), and sight (24/157; 15.3%). When adjusted for age and other predictors, long-term exposed sprayers had significantly higher self-reported occurrences of peripheral neuropathy (OR=7.7, CI95%: 1.045-56.728, p=0.045) and respiratory disorders (OR=0.2, CI95%: 0.067-0.501, p=0.001) compared with short-term exposed. Furthermore, 10 sprayers, all long-term exposed reported poor libido and erection problems. Conclusions: These findings document lack of safety knowledge, safe pesticide management and the implementation of protective measures as well as suggesting that long-term exposure to pesticides increase the risk of experience disease conditions compared to short-term exposure.

Animal Health Governance And Services: A Case Of Pastoralists In Ngorongoro District, Tanzania

While good governance has been on the development agenda, animal health governance issues have remained relatively neglected in the debate on animal health services. This has resulted in inadequate public and private sector investment in animal health services in pastoral remote areas. The study had three specific objectives: to assess animal health governance, to analyse animal health services, and to determine governance related factors affecting animal health services. The study was conducted in Ngorongoro District, Arusha Region, Tanzania. A cross-sectional research design was used in this study. A structured questionnaire with open and close-ended questions was administered. Purposive sampling procedure was used to select the district, three wards and three villages. A sample size of 125 respondents was drawn from three villages by using simple stratified sampling procedure. Data were analysed by the use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Descriptive statistics were computed to assess animal health governance. Frequencies, percentages and cross- tabulation were used to analyse animal health services. The findings showed there was a weak chain of command within the animal health governance structure. The findings also revealed poor availability of animal health services in pastoral areas. Research findings showed significant association between governance and animal health services χ2 = 6.085 (p &lt; 0.05). There was significant differences in the mortality of livestock where governance factors held differently (T-test = 50.230, P &lt; 0.05). This study recommends a need to improve animal health governance, supportive institutional and legal frameworks in order to improve animal health services in pastoral areas.

Antibacterial quality of some antibiotics available in five administrative areas along the national borders of Tanzania

Introduction: In developing countries like Tanzania, bacterial infections are becoming increasingly difficult to treat with available antibiotics. Poor quality antibiotics jeopardize the management of bacterial infections and contribute to the development of antibiotic resistance. Poor storage and harsh tropical climatic conditions accelerate deterioration of antibiotics. Hence, this study investigated the antibacterial effect of antibiotics available in five administra tive regions along the national borders of Tanzania. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study involved the purchase of antibiotics from the Mwanza, Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Mbeya, and Kagera administrative regions. The Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method was employed to assess antibacterial effects of the antibiotics against Salmonella typhi, Klebsiella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli. Inhibition zones (IZ) were determined as previously described. Analysis of variance was used to examine the IZ measured using test antibiotics to their respective control antibiotics; differences were considered significant at P,0.05. Results: Seventy-six antibiotic samples from 22 manufacturers were tested. Six antibiotic samples were from anonymous manufacturers and 29 antibiotic samples had no manufacturing or expiration dates. Different samples of the same antibiotics produced variable results. IZ measured using different samples of ampicillin (AMP) and ciprofloxacin and their control antibiotics revealed significant differences when tested against S. typhi (P,0.05). Samples of tetracycline and chloramphenicol resulted in IZ comparable to their controls against S. typhi. All samples of AMP yielded comparable IZ on Klebsiella spp., whereas samples of chloramphenicol and tetracycline exerted IZ against P. aeruginosa that were not statistically different from their respective control antibiotics (P.0.05). Ambiguous antibacterial profiles were exhibited by samples of AMP, chloramphenicol, cotrimoxazole, and amoxicillin as compared to their respective control antibiotics. Conclusion: Differences in antibacterial effects were found among samples of the same type of antibiotic. Results suggest the existence of counterfeit and/or substandard drugs in Tanzania.

Copper Accumulations in Soils, Coffee, Banana, and Bean Plants Following Copper-Based Fungicides in Coffee Farms in Arusha and Kilimanjaro Regions, Tanzania

This study was carried out to investigate the levels of copper (Cu) contamination in coffee fields in Kilimanjaro and Arusha regions, Tanzania, to increase the database on the contamination of soils by Cu-based fungicides in coffee fields. Surface (0–20 cm deep) soil samples were collected from different farms in Kilimanjaro and Arusha regions. Coffee, banana, and bean plant samples were collected from the locations of soil sampling. Soil and plant samples were analyzed at the Department of Soil Science, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania. It was found that the calcium chloride (CaCl2)–extractable Cu was less than the detection limit of flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)–extractable (24 to 366 mg Cu kg−1 soil) and aqua regia–extractable (80 to 806 mg Cu kg−1 soil) Cu levels were high enough to raise environmental alarm (based on European Union guidelines) in the Cu fungicide–treated soils as compared with natural Cu levels in untreated soils (1 to 12 mg Cu kg−1 soil for DTPA and 22 to 32 mg Cu kg−1 soil for aqua regia–extractable Cu). Coffee, banana, and bean plants grown on soils contaminated by Cu fungicides had varied concentrations of Cu that were greater than the concentrations of Cu in the plants collected from the uncontaminated soils. Stepwise regression analysis carried out to investigate the relationships between the soil properties and the concentrations of Cu in plants revealed a significant (P = 0.01) positive relationship (R2 = 0.4) between organic carbon and the concentration of Cu in banana leaves. Aqua regia–extractable Cu was positively correlated (P = 0.03, R2 = 0.4) with the concentrations of Cu in banana leaves. For bean leaves, electrical conductivity (EC) had a positive significant (P = 0.01) relationship (R2 = 0.56) with the concentrations of Cu in the plants. It is recommended that further research be carried out to investigate the dynamics and bioavailability of Cu for the different crops interplanted in the coffee fields.

Farmers' knowledge, practices and injuries associated with pesticide exposure in rural farming villages in Tanzania.

BackgroundPesticides in Tanzania are extensively used for pest control in agriculture. Their usage and unsafe handling practices may potentially result in high farmer exposures and adverse health effects.The aim of this study was to describe farmers’ pesticide exposure profile, knowledge about pesticide hazards, experience of previous poisoning, hazardous practices that may lead to Acute Pesticide Poisoning (APP) and the extent to which APP is reported.MethodsThe study involved 121 head- of-household respondents from Arumeru district in Arusha region. Data collection involved administration of a standardised questionnaire to farmers and documentation of storage practices. Unsafe pesticide handling practices were assessed through observation of pesticide storage, conditions of personal protective equipment (PPE) and through self-reports of pesticide disposal and equipment calibration.ResultsPast lifetime pesticide poisoning was reported by 93% of farmers. The agents reported as responsible for poisoning were Organophosphates (42%) and WHO Class II agents (77.6%).Storage of pesticides in the home was reported by 79% of farmers. Respondents with higher education levels were significantly less likely to store pesticides in their home (PRR High/Low = 0.3; 95% CI = 0.1-0.7) and more likely to practice calibration of spray equipment (PRR High/Low = 1.2; 95% CI = 1.03-1.4). However, knowledge of routes of exposure was not associated with safety practices particularly for disposal, equipment wash area, storage and use of PPE . The majority of farmers experiencing APP in the past (79%) did not attend hospital and of the 23 farmers who did so in the preceding year, records could be traced for only 22% of these cases.ConclusionsThe study found a high potential for pesticide exposure in the selected community in rural Tanzania, a high frequency of self-reported APP and poor recording in hospital records. Farmers’ knowledge levels appeared to be unrelated to their risk. Rather than simply focusing on knowledge-based strategies, comprehensive interventions are needed to reduce both exposure and health risks, including training, improvements in labeling, measures to reduce cost barriers to the adoption of safe behaviours, , promotion of control measures other than PPE and support for Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

Trematode infections in cattle in Arumeru District, Tanzania are associated with irrigation.

BackgroundThe relationship between the environment and infection of cattle with trematodes was studied at Arumeru District, Arusha Region, northern Tanzania. Randomly selected villages were grouped into three cattle management strata, (i) zero-grazing (ZZ) (ii) communal grazing without irrigation (ZC) and (iii) communal grazing with irrigation (ZCI).MethodsFaecal samples were collected from 241 cattle, and processed using the Flukefinder® method. Snail intermediate hosts were collected with a snail scoop from the water bodies in the study villages and identified morphologically.ResultsThe overall prevalence of F. gigantica, paramphistomes and S. bovis were 33%, 37% and 2% respectively. Prevalence for F. gigantica, paramphistomes, and S. bovis for each stratum were, zero-grazing (ZZ) (29.7%, 36.0% and 0%), communal grazing without irrigation (ZC) (6.3%, 15.0% and 3.8%) and communal grazing with irrigation (ZCI) (57.7%, 56.7% and 1.0%) respectively. The differences between strata were significant for F. gigantica (p < 0.001) and paramphistomes (p < 0.05) but not for S. bovis. Irrigation could account for the high prevalence of F. gigantica and paramphistomes in the ZCI stratum as compared to the ZZ and ZC strata. The higher prevalences of F. gigantica and paramphistomes in the ZZ stratum compared with the ZC stratum were unexpected and attributed to the practice of farmers in some ZZ stratum villages buying fodder for their cattle obtained from pastures in ZCI villages.ConclusionTrematode infections in cattle are prevalent in Arumeru District. Fasciola gigantica and paramphistomes are associated with grazing in areas with irrigation of crops. Zero-grazing of cattle does not necessarily prevent the risk of infection.