Department of Agriculture, Agribusiness, and Environment
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Item The Status of Bean Breeding in Uganda(Namulonge Research Institute, 1993) Fina, opio; S, Male-KayiwaField bean phaseolus vulgaris are the most important legume crop in uganda .it is the most important source of protein and from a major component of the diet of many ugandans.over 400,000hectares of are grown annually in the country by small-scale producers and generally few inputs are usedItem Student on Transmission of Xanthomonas Campestris Pv phaseoli in Common Beans in Uganda(African crop science journal, 1993-05-05) Opio, A.Fina; J.M, Teri; D.J, AllenStudents on the transmission of xanthomonas campestris pv phaseoli (xcp) that cause common and fuscous blight of beans were conducted in Uganda.Bean seed was the main source of primary inoculumItem RAPD PCR-based differentiation of Xanthomonas campestris pv. Phaseoli and Xanthomonas campestris pv. phaseoli var. fuscans(Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1997-09) Birch, Paul R.J.; Hyman, Lizbeth J.; Taylor, Robert; Opio, A. Fina; Bragard, Claude; Toth, Ian K.A RAPD PCR-based method was used to differentiate between isolates of Xanthomonas campestris pv. Phaseoli and Xanthomonas campestris pv. phaseoli var. fuscans. Using random primer OP-G11, a single, high intensity band of 820 bp was amplified from DNAs of all X. c. pv. phaseoli var. fuscans isolates, while multiple amplification products of varying sizes were generated from X. c. pv. phaseoli DNAs. Whereas RAPD PCR differentiation gave an unambiguous result in under 4 h, standard differentiation by recording the production of a brown pigment by X. c. pv. phaseoli var. fuscans isolates took up to 7 days and showed variation both between isolates and between media. The unequivocal nature of the RAPD PCR method was demonstrated when isolate 408, originally classified as X. c. pv. phaseoli var. fuscans, failed to produce the 820 bp band typical of X. c. pv. phaseoli var. fuscans isolates,and after also failing to produce a brown pigment, was re-classified as X. c. pv. phaseoli.Item An alternative Sustainable Source of Protein for Humans and Animals(2000) Nuwemuhwezi, GershomThe consumption of insects (also called entomophagy) is traditionally practiced by more than two billion people worldwide; around 524 insect species are estimated to be consumed in Africa, 349 in Asia, 679 in the America, 152 in Australia and only 41 in Europe (Jongema 2015). Mexico has the highest number of insect species that are documented as edible, followed by Thailand, Congo, India, Australia, China and Zambia (Ramos-Elorduy et al. 2012; Jongema 2015). Insects constitute about three-fourths of the total organisms present on earth (Pedigo 2002). According to Rumpold and Oliver (2013), the insects could be divided into orders such as Diptera (black soldier fly, housefly), Coleoptera (mealworms), Megadrilacea (earthworm), Lepidoptera (silkworm and cirina forda) and Orthoptera (grasshoppers, locust and crickets).Item Current Status And Progress Of Research On The Management of Bean Root Rot Complex In South Western Uganda(NARO, 2000) Opio, Fina; Kyamaywa, S.; Kayizzi, K.; Katwijukye, A.Bean root rot is the most important disease affecting beans in South Western Uganda. The disease has resulted incomplete loss of t he crop in some areas. At the moment there is urgent need to look for means of reducing the disease and revitalizing bean prod uctiou. Them a in ohj ective of this study was to identify control measures that can reduce the disease on farmers field s. A rapid rural appraisal was carried out to determine the incidence of the disease and identify the disease causing organisms. Experiments set up included (i) integrated disease management, (ii) varietal resistance and (iii) combination of (i) and (ii). The experimental design in (i) and (iii) was a split plot while in (ii) the design was a randomized block design. The disease incidence in the district ranged between 80-100% on farmers fields. It was noted that 75% of the attacked crops were attached by Pytltium spp atone. The other 25% was a combination of Pytlriwn spp with one or both of the following: Fu.mrium so/ani and R!Jizoctonia spp. The use of soil organic amendments such as farm yard manure, green manure and earthing up was only effective where the disease was not very severe when a susceptible variety was used. Where the incidence was high, then these treatments were not effective. The most tolerant varieties identified were RWR 179, MLB 49/89A, G2333, Flora and Vuninkingi. A combination offarm yard manure, earthing up and tolerant varieties \\'ith seed dressing with fungicide and insecticide gave the highest yield of 2 tons per hactare as com pared to tolerant va ric ties and green manure that gave a yield of 0. 7 tons per ha only. It was therefore concluded that an integrated disease management st~IWO~Ierant varieties, farm yard manure and earthing up be adopted in order to reduce the disease in South Western Uganda.Item Evolutionary Relationships and Biogeography of Biomphalaria (Gastropoda: Planorbidae) with Implications Regarding Its Role as Host of the Human Bloodfluke, Schistosoma mansoni(Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution, 2001) Kazibwe, Francis; DeJong, Randall J; Morgan, Jess A. T; Morgan, Jess A. T; Lobato Paraense, W.; Pointier, Jean-Pierre; Amarista, Manuel; Ayeh-Kumi, Patrick F. K; Babiker, Ahmed; Barbosa, Constanc¸a S.; Bre´mond, Philippe; Canese, Andre´s Pedro; de Souza, Cecilia Pereira; Dominguez, Claudio; File, Sharon; Gutierrez, Alfredo; Nino Incani, R.; Kawano, Toshie; Kpikpi, John; Lwambo, Nicholas J. S.; Mimpfoundi, Remy; Njiokou, Flobert; Noe¨l Poda, Jean; Vela´squez, Luz Elena; Yong, Mary; Adema, Coen M; Hofkin, Bruce V.; Mkoji, Gerald M; Loker, Eric S.The wide geographic distribution of Schistosoma mansoni, a digenetic trematode and parasite of humans, is determined by the occurrence of its intermediate hosts, freshwater snails of the genus Biomphalaria (Preston 1910). We present phylogenetic analyses of 23 species of Biomphalaria, 16 Neotropical and seven African, including the most important schistosome hosts, using partial mitochondrial ribosomal 16S and complete nuclear ribosomal ITS1 and ITS2 nucleotide sequences. A dramatically better resolution was obtained by combining the data sets as opposed to analyzing each separately, indicating that there is additive congruent signal in each data set. Neotropical species are basal, and all African species are derived, suggesting an American origin for the genus. We confirm that a proto-Biomphalaria glabrata gave rise to all African species through a trans-Atlantic colonization of Africa. In addition, genetic distances among African species are smaller compared with those among Neotropical species, indicating a more recent origin. There are two species-rich clades, one African with B. glabrata as its base, and the other Neotropical. Within the African clade, a wideranging tropical savannah species, B. pfeifferi, and a Nilotic species complex, have both colonized Rift Valley lakes and produced endemic lacustrine forms. Within the Neotropical clade, two newly acquired natural hosts for S. mansoni (B.straminea and B. tenagophila) are not the closest relatives of each other, suggesting two separate acquisition events. Basal to these two species-rich clades are several Neotropical lineages with large genetic distances between them, indicating multiple lineages within the genus. Interesting patterns occur regarding schistosome susceptibility: (1) the most susceptible hosts belong to a single clade, comprising B. glabrata and the African species, (2) several susceptible Neotropical species are sister groups to apparently refractory species, and (3) some basal lineages are susceptible. These patterns suggest the existence of both inherent susceptibility and resistance, but also underscore the ability of S. mansoni to adapt to and acquire previously unsusceptible species as hosts.Item Cytokine Production in Whole Blood Cultures from a Fishing Community in an Area of High Endemicity for Schistosoma mansoni in Uganda: the Differential Effect of Parasite Worm and Egg Antigens(American Society for Microbiology, 2003-03) Jones, Frances M; Kimani, Gachuhi; Mwatha, Joseph K; Kamau, Timothy; Kazibwe, Francis; Kemijumbi, Jovanice; Kabatereine, Narcis B; Booth, Mark; Kariuki, Henry C.; Ouma, John H.; Vennervald, Birgitte J; Dunne, David W.; Oseph, Sarah JThe human host is continuously exposed to the egg and the adult worm developmental stages of Schistosoma mansoni during chronic infections with the parasite. To assess the cytokine responses induced by these different costimulating stages and how they are influenced by host age and infection intensity, whole blood samples from a cross-sectional cohort of 226 members of a Ugandan fishing community who had been resident in an area with high transmission of S. mansoni for the previous 10 years or from birth were stimulated with S. mansoni egg antigen (SEA) or worm antigen (SWA). SWA-specific gamma interferon (IFN-_) production increased with age, and the levels of SWA- and SEA-specific interleukin 3 (IL-3) were weakly correlated with schistosome infection intensity. The production of most cytokines was little affected by age or infection intensity but was either SEA or SWA specific. One hundred thirty-two members of the cohort coproduced IL-5 and IL-13 specifically in response to SWA, whereas only 15 produced these cytokines, and at much lower levels, in response to SEA. IL-10, IL-4, and IFN-_ were also produced in response to SWA, whereas the response to SEA consisted almost exclusively of IL-10. Our results suggest that, in contrast to what has been described for the murine model of S. mansoni and during acute human infections, chronic intense exposure to and infection with S. mansoni in this cohort resulted in very low levels of response to SEA in vitro in the presence of a vigorousand mixed Th1-Th2 response to SWA.Item Development of a management strategy for Bean root rot in southwestern Uganda(National Agriculural Research Organisation, 2003-08) Opio, A.F; Kayizzi, K; Buruchara, R; Tukamuhabwa, p; S, Kyamanwa; I, Mugagga; R, TakusewanyaBean root rot was first noted in southwestern Uganda many years ago according to the people in the area but it was not until early 1990's when its destruction became apparent .The disease is now the most important disease affecting beans in this area .It has resulted in total destruction of the crop during favorable weather conditions for the disease.Item Pathogenicity of Pythium species on hosts associated with bean-based cropping system in south western Uganda(Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Crop Science, Makerere University, Kampala,, 2004) Opio, Fina.; Gichuru, Virginia; Okori, Patrick.; Buruchara, RobinA pathosystem is a subsystem of an ecosystem and is characterised by the phenomenon of parasitism. The bean-Pythium pathosystem consists of the host (bean), the pathogen (Pythium) and their host-pathogen relation. Of interest is how the pathogen causes pathogenicity on other crops and beans. To investigate this, screen house experiments were set up to test the pathogenicity of Pythium species derived from bean and other crops grown in association with beans. Pathogenicity was tested on maize (Zea mays), millet (Eleusine corcana), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), peas (Pisum satium), susceptible bean variety (CAL 96) and resistant bean variety (RWR 719). The results indicated that distinct symptoms were observed in the roots and shoots of test crop species which are characteristic of Pythium infection. For instance peas had brownish watery stems and roots Also bean-derived pathogenic Pythium spp. were found to be more virulent than Pythium spp. derived from other crop species.Item Schistosoma bovis in western Uganda.(Journal of Helminthology, 2004) Stothard, J.R.; Lockyer, A.E.; Lockyer, A.E.; Tukahebwa, E.M.; Kazibwe, F.; Rollinson, D.; Fenwick, A.During routine parasitological surveillance and monitoring activities within aNational Control Programme for control of human schistosomiasis in Uganda, it was noted that cattle grazing in a water meadow immediately adjacent to Tonya primary school, where the prevalence of intestinal schistosomiasis in children was in excess of 90%, were unusually emaciated. To test the hypothesis that there may have been an anthropozoonotic focus of Schistosoma mansoni within the local herd, a young female heifer, clearly emaciated and c. 8 months old, was slaughtered from which schistosome worms were later recovered by dissection. As female worms inspected by microscopy were not gravid, morphological identification proved inconclusive but analysis of cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and small subunit (SSU) ribosomal DNA sequences from these worms identified them as Schistosoma bovis Sonsino, 1876. This is the first substantiated report of S. bovis from Lake Albert, western Uganda. Further epidemiological surveys are needed to clarify the extent of bovine schistosomiasis within this region, particularly so since this lakeside plain has been earmarked as a future game reserve.Item Spatial analysis of the distribution of intestinal nematode infections in Uganda.(2004) Kabatereine, N. B.; Brooker, S; Tukahebwa, E. M.; Kazibwe, F.The Danish Bilharziasis Laboratory, World Health Organization, World Food Programme and the Wellcome Trust (through its provision of an Advanced Training Fellowship to SB (062692)). The satellite data used in this study include data produced through funding from the Earth Observing System Pathfinder Program of NASA’s Mission to Planet Earth in cooperation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.Item Chemotherapy for Schistosomiasis in Ugandan Fishermen: Treatment Can Cause a Rapid Increase in Interleukin-5 Levels in Plasma but Decreased Levels of Eosinophilia and Worm-Specific Immunoglobulin E(American Society for Microbiology., 2004) Fitzsimmons, Colin M.; Joseph, Sarah; Jones, Frances M.; Reimert, Claus M.; Hoffmann, Karl F.; Kazibwe, Francis; Kimani, Gachuhi; Mwatha, Joseph K.; Ouma, John H.; Tukahebwa, Edridah M.; Kariuki, Henry. C.; Vennervald, Birgitte J.; Kabatereine, Narcis B.; Dunne, David W.Chemotherapy for blood-dwelling schistosomes kills the worms and exposes parasite antigen to the circulation.In many people from areas of endemicity, this treatment increases parasite-specific immunoglobulin E(IgE) and other Th2 responses in the months following therapy, responses that have been associated with subsequent resistance to reinfection. Here we investigate much earlier changes in immune reactions after praziquantel therapy in Schistosoma mansoni-infected fishermen working in an area of high transmission in Uganda. The subjects gave blood before treatment and at 1 and 21 days posttreatment. Blood cultures were incubated with schistosome soluble worm antigen (SWA) or soluble egg antigen (SEA). Interleukin-4 (IL-4),IL-5, IL-10, IL-13, gamma interferon, and transforming growth factor _ levels were measured in the cultures and in plasma. A marked transient increase in plasma IL-5 levels was observed in 75% of the subjects (n _ 48) by 1 day posttreatment. This response was dependent on pretreatment intensity of infection and was accompanied by a transient decrease in eosinophil numbers. One day posttreatment, blood cultures from the 16 subjects with the greatest increase in plasma IL-5 level (>100 pg/ml) displayed reduced IL-5, IL-13, and IL-10 responses to SWA, and in contrast to the rest of the cohort, these high-IL-5 subjects displayed reduced levels of SWA-specific IgE in plasma 21 days posttreatment. Twenty months after treatment, the intensity of reinfection was positively correlated with the increase in plasma IL-5 level seen 1 day posttreatment. These studies describe the heterogeneity in early immune reactions to treatment, identifying subgroups who have different patterns of reaction and who may have different capacities to mount the responses that have been associated with resistance to reinfection.Item Epidemiology and geography of Schistosoma mansoni in Uganda: implications for planning control(Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2004-03) Kabatereine, Narcis B; Brooker, Simon; Tukahebwa, Edridah M; Kazibwe, Francis; Onapa, Ambrose WIntestinal schistosomiasis caused by infection with Schistosoma mansoni is a widespread public health problem in Uganda. Although long known to be endemic, its current distribution within the country equires updating of parasitological data to help guide planned control. We report such data collected between 1998 and 2002 from 201 schools and 68 communities across Uganda. In accordance with epidemiological expectation, prevalence and intensity increased with age, peaking at 10–20 years and thereafter declined moderately with age, whereas intensity declined more rapidly with age, and the prevalence of infection in a school was non-linearly related to the mean intensity of infection. We used geographical information systems to map the distribution of infection and to overlay parasitological data with interpolated environmental surfaces. The derived maps indicate both a widespread occurrence of infection and a marked variability in infection prevalence, with prevalence typically highest near the lakeshore and along large rivers. No transmission occurred at altitudes >1400 m or where total annual rainfall was <900 mm; limits which can help estimate the population at risk of schistosomiasis. The results are discussed in reference to the ecology of infection and provide an epidemiological framework for the design and implementation of control efforts underway in Uganda.Item Pathogenicity of Pythium species on hosts associated with bean-based cropping system in south western Uganda(Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Crop Science, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, 2004-06) Virginia, Gichuru; Patrick., Okori; Robin, Buruchara; Fina., OpioA pathosystem is a subsystem of an ecosystem and is characterised by the phenomenon of parasitism. The bean-Pythium pathosystem consists of the host (bean), the pathogen (Pythium) and their host-pathogen relation. Of interest is how the pathogen causes pathogenicity on other crops and beans. To investigate this, screen house experiments were set up to test the pathogenicity of Pythium species derived from bean and other crops grown in association with beans. Pathogenicity was tested on maize (Zea mays), millet (Eleusine corcana), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), peas (Pisum satium), susceptible bean variety (CAL 96) and resistant bean variety (RWR 719). The results indicated that distinct symptoms were observed in the roots and shoots of test crop species which are characteristic of Pythium infection. For instance peas had brownish watery stems and roots Also bean-derived pathogenic Pythium spp. were found to be more virulent than Pythium spp. derived from other crop species. 2 Sorghum and peas had the highest disease scores upon infection by Pythium spp. We can conclude that there is cross pathogenicity among Pythium spp. especially affecting sorghum and peas. This phenomenon may account for the current root rot epiphytotics in south western Uganda and other similar agroecologies. An integrated disease management strategy that will deploy multi-non hosts to Pythium root rot is recommended.Item Increases in Human T Helper 2 Cytokine Responses to Schistosoma mansoni Worm and Worm- Tegument Antigens Are Induced by Treatmentwith Praziquantel(Infectious Diseases Society of America, 2004-07-24) Joseph, Sarah; M., Frances; Klaudia Walter, Jones; Fulford, Anthony J.; Kimani, Gachuhi; Mwatha, Joseph. K; Kamau, Timothy; Kariuki, Henry C; Kazibwe, Francis; Tukahebwa, Edridah; Kabatereine, Narcis B.; Ouma, John H.; Vennervald, Birgitte J.; Dunne, David W.Levels of Schistosoma mansoni–induced interleukin (IL)–4 and IL-5 and posttreatment levels of immunoglobulin E recognizing the parasite’s tegument (Teg) correlate with human resistance to subsequent reinfection after treatment. We measured changes in whole-blood cytokine production in response to soluble egg antigen (SEA), soluble worm antigen (SWA), or Teg after treatment with praziquantel (PZQ) in a cohort of 187 individuals living near Lake Albert, Uganda. Levels of SWA-induced IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, and IL-13 increased after treatment with PZQ, and the greatest relative increases were seen in the responses to Teg. Mean levels of Teg-specific IL- 5 and IL-10 increased ∼10–15-fold, and mean levels of IL-13 increased ∼5-fold. Correlations between the changes in cytokines suggested that their production was positively coregulated by tegumentally derived antigens. Levels of SEA-, SWA-, and Teg-induced interferon-g were not significantly changed by treatment, and, with the exception of IL-10, which increased slightly, responses to SEA also remained largely unchanged. The changes in cytokines were not strongly influenced by age or intensity of infection and were not accompanied by corresponding increases in the numbers of circulating eosinophils or lymphocytesItem Field Evaluation of the Meade Readiview Handheld MicroscopeFor Diagnosis of Intestinal Schistosomiasis in Ugandan School Children(The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 2005) Russell Stothard, J.; Kabatereine, Narcis B.; Tukahebwa, Edridah M.; Kazibwe, Francis; Mathieson, William; P. Webster, Joanne; Fenwick, AlanA novel, inexpensive handheld microscope, the Meade Readiview, was evaluated for field diagnosis of intestinal schistosomiasis by comparison of sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) against conventional compound microscopy as part of a parasitologic survey in nine sentinel schools and a rapid mapping survey across 22 schools in Uganda. Fecal smears from 685 primary school children were examined and the overall prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni was 45%. However, prevalence by school ranged widely from 0% to 100%. For individual diagnosis the Readiview had a sensitivity of 85%, a specificity of 96%, a PPV of 95%, and an NPV of 88%. Due to the poorer movement control of the glass slide on the Readiview stage, fecal smears with less than four eggs could be overlooked. At the highest magnification (160×), egg-like objects could be confounding. Estimating prevalence by school was usually within ± 7% of that of conventional microscopy. Since the Readiview is more robust and portable, both in size and weight, and one-tenth as expensive as the traditional compound microscope, a change in the logistics and costs associated with field infection surveillance is possible. This inexpensive microscope is a pragmatic alternative to the compound microscope. It could play an important role in the collection of prevalence data to better guide anthelmintic drug delivery and also empower the diagnostic capacity of peripheral health centers where compound microscopes are few or absent.Item Use of circulating cathodic antigen (CCA) dipsticks for detection of intestinal and urinary schistosomiasis.(2005) Stothard, J. Russell; Kabatereine, Narcis B.; Edridah M., Tukahebwa; Kazibwe, Francis; Rollinson, David; William, Mathieson; Webster, Joanne P; Fenwick, AlanAn evaluation of a commercially available antigen capture dipstick that detects schistosome circulating cathodic antigen (CCA) in urine was conducted in representative endemic areas for intestinal and urinary schistosomiasis in Uganda and Zanzibar, respectively. Under field-based conditions, the sensitivity (SS) and specificity (SP) of the dipstick was 83 and 81% for detection of Schistosoma mansoni infections while positive predictive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) were 84%. Light egg-positive infections were sometimes CCA-negative while CCA-positives included egg-negative children. A positive association between faecal egg output and intensity of CCA test band was observed. Estimating prevalence of intestinal schistosomiasis by school with dipsticks was highly correlated (r = 0.95) with Kato-Katz stool examinations, typically within ±8.5%. In Zanzibar, however, dipsticks totally failed to detect S. haematobium despite examining children with egg-patent schistosomiasis. This was also later corroborated by further surveys in Niger and Burkina Faso. Laboratory testing of dipsticks with aqueous adult worm lysates from several reference species showed correct functioning, however, dipsticks failed to detect CCA in urine from S. haematobium-infected hamsters.While CCA dipsticks are a good alternative, or complement, to stool microscopy for field diagnosis of intestinal schistosomiasis, they have no proven value for field diagnosis of urinary schistosomiasis. At approximately US $2.6 per dipstick, they are presently too expensive to be cost-effective for wide scale use in disease mapping surveys unless Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) strategies are developed.Item Origin and diversification of the human parasite Schistosoma mansoni(Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2005) Kazibwe, Francis; Morgan, Jess A. T.; Dejong, Randall J.; Adeoye, Grace O.; Ansa, Ebenezer D. O.; Barbosa, Constança S.; Brémond, Philippe; Cesari, Italo M.; Charbonnel, Nathalie; Corrêa, Lygia R.; Coulibaly, Godefroy; D’andrea, Paulo Sérgio; De Souza, Cecilia Pereira; Doenhoff, Michael J.; File, Sharon; Idris, Mohamed A.; Incani, R. Nino; Jarne, Philippe; Karanja, Diana M. S.; Kpikpi, John; J. S, Nicholas; Mabaye, Amadou; Lwambo; Magalhães, Luiz A.; Makundi, Asanteli; Moné, Hélène; Mouahid, Gabriel; Muchemi, Gerald M.; Mungai, Ben N.; Séne, Mariama; Southgate, Vaughan; Tchuem Tchuenté, Louis Albert; Théron, Andre; Yousif, Fouad; Zanotti-Magalhães, Eliana M.; Mkoji, Gerald M.; Loker, Eric S.Schistosoma mansoni is the most widespread of the human-infecting schistosomes, present in 54 countries, predominantly in Africa, but also in Madagascar, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Neotropics. Adult-stage parasites that infect humans are also occasionally recovered from baboons, rodents, and other mammals. Larval stages of the parasite are dependent upon certain species of freshwater snails in the genus Biomphalaria, which largely determine the parasite’s geographical range. How Smansonigenetic diversity is distributed geographically and among isolates using different hosts has never been examined with DNA sequence data. Here we describe the global phylogeography of Smansoni using more than 2500 bp of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from 143 parasites collected in 53 geographically widespread localities. Considerable within-species mtDNA diversity was found, with 85 unique haplotypes grouping into five distinct lineages. Geographical separation, and not host use,appears to be the most important factor in the diversification of the parasite. East African specimens showed a remarkable amount of variation, comprising three clades and basal members of a fourth, strongly suggesting an East African origin for the parasite 0.30–0.43 million years ago, a time frame that follows the arrival of its snail host. Less but still substantial variation was found in the rest of Africa. A recent colonization of the New World is supported by finding only seven closely related New World haplotypes which have West African affinities. All Brazilian isolates have nearly identical mtDNA haplotypes, suggesting a founder effect from the establishment and spread of the parasite in this large country.Item Traditional herbal remedies used in the management of sexual impotence and erectile dysfunction in western Uganda(African Health Sciences, 2005-03) Kamatenesi-Mugisha, Maud; Oryem-Origa, HanningtonWestern Uganda. Reproductive health care is the second most prevalent health care problem in Africa. However, this concept of reproductive health care has been focusing mainly on women disregarding men. Thus, some diseases such as sexual impotence and erectile dysfunction that deserve mention are regarded as petty though important in economic productivity, family stability and sexually transmitted diseases control including HIV/AIDS. Objective: This study was carried out mainly to document medicinal plants used in the treatment of sexual impotence and erectile dysfunction disorders in western Uganda. Methods: The medical ethnobotanical indigenous knowledge were collected by visiting traditional healers and documenting the medicinal plants used and other socio-cultural aspects allied with sexual impotence and erectile dysfunction. The methods used to collect the relevant information regarding the medicinal plants used included informal and formal discussions, field visits and focused semi-structured interviews. Results: Thirty-three medicinal plants used in the management of sexual impotence and erectile dysfunction were documented and Citropsis articulata and Cola acuminata were among the highly utilized medicinal plants. Conclusion: From the researchers’ point of view, the usage of herbal remedies in managing male sexual disorders is useful because of long cultural history of utilisation and the current renewed interest in natural products to sustain health globally. As a way recognising the values and roles of traditional medical knowledge in health care provision, further research into the efficacy and safety of herbal remedies in male sexual disorders is precious in Uganda and beyond. More so, the establishment of rapport between relevant government department in Ministry of Health, modern health workers through collaborative and networking ventures with traditional healers under close supervision and monitoring of herbal treatments is nobleItem Progress towards countrywide control of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis in Uganda(Elsevier Ltd., 2005-03-09) Kabatereinea, Narcis B.; Tukahebwaa, Edridah; Kazibwea, Francis; Namwangyea, Harriett; Zarambab, Sam; Brooker, Simon; Russell Stothardd; Kamenka, Cara; Whawell, Sarah; Webster, Joanne P.; Fenwick, AlanSchistosomiasis caused by infection with Schistosoma mansoni is a serious public health burden in 38 of the 56 districts of Uganda. This article reviews the initial experience of the national control programme. Launched in 2003, this started with a pilot phase with the main aim of utilizing the experience to formulate feasible and appropriate methods of drug delivery. Overall, 432 746 people were treated and coverage was 91.4% in schools and 64.7% in communities. The issues raised by independent evaluators included that most communities did not participate in the selection of community drug distributors (CDD) and that teachers and CDDs needed refresher training mainly on health education and the management of side effects.As a way forward, it is suggested that the Ministry of Health should integrate deworming into the existing health infrastructure so that every time a child is reached for any health service, the child is also dewormed.