Reality of virus infections in banana and plantain in Democratic Republic of Congo. [P.61]

Viral diseases of banana are one of the major constraints to the production and distribution of germoplasm of banana in the world. To date, six viruses have been listed on banana: Banana bunchy top virus (BBTV), Banana streak virus (BSV), Banana bract mosaic virus (BBrMV), Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Banana mild mosaic virus (BMMV), Banana virus x (BVX). In Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the first viral disease of banana was found, for the first time, in 1950 in Yangambi, Kisangani region. To date, the distribution of BBTV remains mostly unknown and other banana viruses (BSV, CMV, BBrMV, BMMV, BVX) have not yet been reported. With the aim to describe and establish the frequency of the viruses involved to major viral diseases on banana (Banana bunchy top virus, Banana streak virus, Banana bract mosaic virus, Cucumber mosaic virus) in the Democratic Republic of Congo, epidemiological surveys were conducted in 2011, 2012 and 2013 in the South West of the Democratic Republic of Congo. For BBTV at least 216 samples were collected in 2011 and 2012, for BS, CMV, BBrMV and 450 samples were collected and 306 samples were analyzed using PCR, IC - PCR, IC-One-step-RT-PCR and RT - PCR techniques to detect respectively BBTV, BSV, CMV, and BBrMV. Results indicate that Banana bunchy top virus is the most prevalent virus of banana, in South Western of Democratic Republic of Congo (frequency = 44,6%). The highest frequency was observed in Bas Congo province of Bas Congo with a frequency of 17.8% in contrast, the lowest frequency was observed in Katanga province. Banana streak virus exists in natural condition and express symptoms of Banana streak disease. The most widespread BSV specie is Goldfinger (BSGFV) with a frequency of 64%. This study reveals that there is a transmission of Banana streak virus from banana containing genome B with eBSV integration to Musa acuminata strict, without integrated sequences. Furthermore, the frequency of vector is 9.3%. These results suggest an emergence of Banana streak disease in the study area. Analysis of the frequency of the Cucumber mosaic virus shows that the virus is widespread in all types of cropping systems including vegetables spaces whose N'Djili brasserie, Kimpoko and Kisantu. Very surprisingly CMV is missing from Mbanzangungu one of the largest vegetable crop production site. Performant analyses for the detection of Banana bract mosaic virus have proved negative. These results suggest that the BBrMV remains absent from the study area. (Résumé d'auteur

Occurrence and distribution of Banana bunchy top virus related agro-ecosystem in South Western, Democratic Republic of Congo

Banana bunchy top virus (BBTV) is one of the most severe and widespread virus limiting production and distribution of planting material of banana (Musa spp.) crops in the world. In Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), these crops play a major role in daily life of almost 70% of citizen. Many factors influence banana production negatively such as Banana bunchy top disease. Epidemiological survey was conducted in experimental stations and farmers' fields for two consecutive seasons covering 72 sites in five provinces of south western of RDC. The objective of this study was to evaluate the presence and distribution of the Banana bunchy top virus in five provinces of South Western of DRC, with emphasis on the agro-ecological factors. A total of 174 Musa spp. leaves samples were collected and analyzed by PCR. The results revealed the presence of BBTV in all provinces investigated. The frequency of BBTV was 6.3% in Bandundu, 12.1% in Kasaï Oriental, 17.8% Bas Congo, 1.1% in Katanga and 7.5% Kinshasa Urban and Peri-urban. Results also revealed that BBTV occurred in experimental station and farmers' fields, both having all cooking and dessert bananas. The high prevalence of BBTV seemed to be linked to multiple introductions of planting materials in the Bas Congo province during 1990 and 2002. However, the province of Katanga had not experienced the introduction of planting material. This factor would explain the lowest prevalence of Banana bunchy top virus in this province. The results indicated that there was a real need to facilitate access to genetically improved and healthy certified planting material in these provinces. (Résumé d'auteur

A Prospective Study of Wastes from Design Stage Activities on Building Construction Projects in Southwest Nigeria

This study examines the factors that contribute to the generation of wastes from design stage activities in building construction projects in the southwest region of Nigeria. A total of 261 questionnaires were randomly administered to representatives of firms in the built environment professions across the six (6) states that make up the region. The data generated were analysed using excel-solver and SPSS, and the findings were presented using tables. The study found that 86.97% of the respondents were experienced professionals with cognate experience who are employed by professionally registered consulting firms while the remaining 13.03% of the respondents were jointly employed by contracting firms, and some client agencies operating in the study area.  The result of findings further showed that 70.345% of the main issues related to waste generation from design stage of building projects were due to ambiguities and inconsistencies in drawings; inexperienced designers; lack of clear design information at conception; design and construction detail errors; design errors; unclear and incoherent specifications; poor communication between the various specialists and lack of full design team coordination. Besides this, the result also showed that the 43.862% of the residents listed inadequate coordination due to the high loadings by the following items: incomplete contract documentation; last-minute client requirement; error in contract documentation; slow response to a request for information; slow drawing revision and distribution; lack of partnering commitment and coordination among consultants; variation/change order request. This study therefore recommends that policy thrust should be aimed at encouraging built environment professionals to take actions towards reducing wastages in project at the design stages of building construction processes and activities in the study area. Keywords: Building Construction, Construction, Southwest States, Waste Management, Prospectiv

Restorative Prospective of Powdered Seeds Extract of<i>Garcinia kola</i>in<i>Chrysichthys furcatus</i>Induced with<i>Glyphosate</i>Formulation

Responses ofChrysichthys furcatusto glyphosate formulation andGarcinia kolaseed extracts were investigated using the organization for Economic Cooperation and Development numbers 203 and 407 recommended toxicity bioassay. The fish were divided into five groups and exposed to different treatments of glyphosate formulation andGarcinia kolaseed extract, with the control serving as a reference. Water quality parameters and blood chemistry were estimated in the experimental and control fish at the end of 28 days. There was no significant difference (P&gt;0.05) between fish treated with glyphosate formulation alone and other treatments except for dissolved oxygen which was highly significant (P&lt;0.01) between fish treated with glyphosate formulation alone and other treatments and the control. All the blood parameters were significantly (P&lt;0.05) affected by glyphosate formulation when compared with the control. The changes observed in glyphosate formulation alone were reversible whenG. kolaseeds extract was added and was dose dependent. The plant’s extract has shown to be a good remedy to pollutants, and formulations of the seed extract into tablets or capsules could serve as antidote to ameliorate the effects of pollutants. This finding can reduce the risk of biomagnifications of poisons along the food chain.</jats:p

Prevalence of Hearing Impairment Among High-Risk Newborns in Ibadan, Nigeria

The burden of severe hearing impairment is increasing with two-thirds of these hearing impaired people residing in developing countries. Newborn hearing screening helps to identify early, babies who need intervention in order to prevent future disability. Neither universal nor targeted hearing screening programme is available in Nigeria.Objectives: This study was carried out to assess the prevalence of hearing impairment among high-risk newborns in UCH and the associated risk factors.Materials and Methods: Two hundred one newborns in the neonatal unit of UCH with risk factors for hearing impairment had hearing screening done using automated auditory brainstem response (AABR) at 30, 45, and 70 dB at admission and discharge, and those that failed screening at discharge were rescreened at 6 weeks post-discharge.Results: Eighty-three (41.3%) and 32 (15.9%) high-risk newborns failed at admission and discharge screening respectively, and 19 (9.5%) still failed at follow up screening. The majority of hearing loss at follow up was bilateral (94.7%) and severe (52.6%). The risk factors associated with persistent hearing loss at follow up were acute bilirubin encephalopathy (RR = 11.2, CI: 1.4–90.6), IVH (RR = 8.8, CI: 1.1–71.8), meningitis (RR = 4.8, CI: 1.01–29), recurrent apnoea (RR = 2.7, CI: 1.01–7.3), severe perinatal asphyxia NNE III (RR = 7, CI: 2.4–20.2).Conclusion: Severe and bilateral hearing impairment is a common complication among high risk newborns in UCH persisting till 6 weeks post-neonatal care. Severe perinatal asphyxia with NNE III, ABE, IVH, meningitis and administration of amikacin for more than 5 days were significant risk factors. We recommend that SCBU graduates with these risk factors should have mandatory audiologic evaluation at discharge

COVID-19 AND THE E-LEARNING CHALLENGES EXPERIENCED BY ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS OF A TYPICAL NIGERIAN PRIVATE UNIVERSITY

The outbreak of COVID-19 the world over brought about an abrupt change to every facet of life. The higher education sector was not left out of the pandemic's impact. Universities in developing nations migrated from traditional face-to-face learning to e-learning suddenly with very little preparation and training. Stakeholders within private tertiary institutions of Nigeria experienced many challenges in the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 sessions. The impact still shapes research, administration and learning in Nigerian universities. This study investigated the challenges experienced by the Caleb University architecture students on the e-learning platform during the lockdown in the year 2020 with the view to developing a framework for future application of e-learning in tertiary institutions in Nigeria. The methodology engaged quantitative and qualitative methods of enquiry, with a students' population (N=217) considered for this study. Also, close-ended questionnaires based on Sloven's sample size (n=69) determination were administered, and a quota sampling technique was adopted. The SPSS software was used in the data analysis. Results indicated a causal relationship between specific amenities and a good learning experience. The result revealed that poor internet sources (connectivity) and insufficient power supply hindered a good e-learning experience. The results suggest a need for infrastructural development at university, sectorial, regional and national level in Nigeria, to cope seamlessly with the trend of migration to a digital world

Molecular characterization of banana bunchy top virus reveals widespread low genetic variation among isolates in Democratic Republic of Congo

BACKGROUND and OBJECTIVES Banana bunchy top virus (BBTV), is the most devastating and widespread banana virus. Banana and plantain (Musa spp.) are major crops in terms of household income and food security in Democratic republic of Congo (DRC) (1). Despite the large territory under banana and plantain cultivation in the country, the genetic characterization of BBTV isolates has been undertaken for two provinces. The main objectives of this work were to understand the genetic variability of DRC BBTV isolates and to determine their origin. MATERIALS and METHODS In this study, genetic variation in BBTV was assessed from 52 BBTV isolates collected in five out of 11 provinces in DRC (Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Katanga, Kinshasa and Kasai Oriental). 52 full sequences of DNAR and 30 full sequences of all BBTV components were analysed. RESULTS Full genome sequencing of DNA-R components was performed revealing a low genetic variation (98-100% nucleotide identity) amongst the BBTV isolates detected in seven of 11 DRC provinces. The phylogenetic tree showed that all DRC isolates gather a unique clade in the South Pacific group of BBTV. Based on the coding region for replication initiator protein, haplotype diversity was estimated to be 0.944±0.013, with 30 different haplotypes from 68 isolates in DRC. In addition, fives isolates were selected from each province for total genome sequencing, confirming low genetic variation among isolates from seven provinces (97-100% nucleotide identity). CONCLUSION This study strengthens the hypothesis of a single BBTV introduction some time ago, followed by the spread of the virus in the country. Analysis of the geographical dispersion reveals specific haplotypes groups according to the different agro-environmental conditions. (Résumé d'auteur

Newborn resuscitation practices and paucity of resuscitative devices in Nigeria; a call to action

Background: Neonatal resuscitation is a method of preventing morbidities &amp; mortality from asphyxia. Up to 85% of facilities in sub-Saharan Africa lack supplies or skilled personnel for neonatal resuscitation. Relative to the place of birth and the skill of the birth attendant, a variety of resuscitative practice are employed to make babies cry instead of helping the baby breathe. Many painful procedures are applied when the baby is unable to cry after birth in the absence of a health care worker trained in bag-mask ventilation. Objectives: To ascertain the resuscitation practices in communities lacking bag-mask-valve devices Methods: Surveys on the resuscitation practices during NISONM annual community outreach and mENCC trainings for four consecutive years in different geopolitical zones of the country. Results: Spanking of the baby usually in the upside down position (&gt;90%), body massage with hot compress or salicylate containing balms, herbal concoctions, injection hydrocortisone or crystalline penicillin were used. Conclusion: There is an urgent need to address the issue of training on bag-mask ventilation and provision for frontline healthcare workers in Nigeria as a neonatal mortality reduction strategy. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v19i1.30 Cite as: Okonkwo IR, Ezeaka VC, Mustapha B, Ezeanosike O, Tongo O, Okolo AA, et al. Newborn resuscitation practices and paucity of resuscitative devices in Nigeria; a call to action. Afri Health Sci. 2019;19(1). 1563-1565. https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v19i1.3

Interventions to reduce pesticide exposure from the agricultural sector in Africa: a workshop report

Despite the fact that several cases of unsafe pesticide use among farmers in different parts of Africa have been documented, there is limited evidence regarding which specific interventions are effective in reducing pesticide exposure and associated risks to human health and ecology. The overall goal of the African Pesticide Intervention Project (APsent) study is to better understand ongoing research and public health activities related to interventions in Africa through the implementation of suitable target-specific situations or use contexts. A systematic review of the scientific literature on pesticide intervention studies with a focus on Africa was conducted. This was followed by a qualitative survey among stakeholders involved in pesticide research or management in the African region to learn about barriers to and promoters of successful interventions. The project was concluded with an international workshop in November 2021, where a broad range of topics relevant to occupational and environmental health risks were discussed such as acute poisoning, street pesticides, switching to alternatives, or disposal of empty pesticide containers. Key areas of improvement identified were training on pesticide usage techniques, research on the effectiveness of interventions targeted at exposure reduction and/or behavioral changes, awareness raising, implementation of adequate policies, and enforcement of regulations and processes

Factors associated with positive blood cultures in children in nine African and Asian countries : the ACORN2 surveillance network

Funding: This research was funded in whole by the Wellcome Trust [222156/Z/20/Z]. CAG was funded by a Postdoctoral Mobility Fellowship from the Swiss National Science Foundation (grant number P500PM_217605).Background Blood culture (BC) in children has relatively low diagnostic yield and high contamination rates, limiting cost-effectiveness. We aimed to determine readily available baseline characteristics to identify hospitalised children with a likelihood of higher diagnostic yield in low- and middle-income countries. Methods We used data from ACORN2, a prospective clinical surveillance network including 19 hospitals across Africa and Asia. We included participants <18 years, hospitalised for a suspected infection, prescribed parenteral antibiotics and with a BC sample. Sociodemographic and clinical data were recorded for each infection episode and linked to routine microbiology data. We described true pathogen (non-contaminant) BC positivity proportion and performed mixed-effects logistic regression, with study site and patient as the random effect, to identify factors associated with BC positivity. Results Of the 26 407 paediatric infection episodes, 17 815 (67%) had a BC sample and 15 384 were included in the analysis. BC results were: true pathogens in 689 (4.5%), contaminants in 1399 (9%) and uncertain pathogens in 143 (0.9%). In the multivariable model, factors associated with a positive BC were age (29 days–12-month-olds OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.66 and 5–18 year-olds OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.30 to 2.01 vs 1–4 year-olds), number of clinical severity signs (OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.18 to 1.40 per one sign) and hospital acquired infection (OR 3.05, 95% CI 2.30 to 4.06 vs community-acquired). Suspected diagnosis of sepsis (OR 2.09, 95% CI 1.67 to 2.61), gastrointestinal/abdominal (OR 2.36, 95% CI 1.78 to 3.13), skin and soft tissue or bone (OR 3.64, 95% CI 2.57 to 5.14) and genitourinary infection (OR 2.22, 95% CI 1.39 to 3.56) were more likely to have a positive BC, compared with respiratory infections. Conclusion We confirmed the low BC yield among hospitalised children. We identified groups for which diagnostic stewardship efforts to increase BC uptake should be prioritised and others in which it could be limited in times of financial or logistic constraints.Peer reviewe