School of Biosecurity, Biotechnolgy and Laboratory Sciences (SBLS) Collection

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    Sero-prevalence of foot and mouth disease virus in cattle in livestock markets of Kiruhura District
    (Makerere University, 2025) Tinyefuza, Asaph
    Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) remains one of the most economically devastating transboundary animal diseases affecting livestock worldwide, particularly in endemic regions like Uganda. In the cattle corridor districts of Uganda such as Kiruhura, where cattle farming is central to rural livelihoods and the economy, recurrent FMD outbreaks disrupt trade and food security. Despite temporary market closures during outbreaks, new infections frequently arise shortly after reopening, raising concern over the potential role of infected but not yet detected animals in livestock markets. This study aimed at determining the prevalence of antibodies against the FMD virus in cattle brought to livestock markets of Kyenshama and Nyakasharira in Kiruhura District, identify risk factors and establish the associated animal level risk factors with FMD infection. A cross-sectional design was used to collect 377 blood samples, selected by convenience due to ease of restraint and analyzed using the IDEXX FMD 3ABC Ab ELISA kit, which differentiates natural infection from vaccination. Additional data were gathered using a data sheet for animal details sampled, observational checklists for biosecurity measures and key informant interviews with veterinary officers, market administrators, and traders. The study revealed a low prevalence of 0.79% (95% CI: 0.3–2.4) due to natural FMD infections among cattle entering markets, reflecting the effect of mass vaccination in area before sampling. There was no significant association between animal level risk factors and FMD infection however at both study sites, poor market infrastructure, uncontrolled animal mixing, and inadequate quarantine measures were identified among potential risk factors for new FMD outbreaks in the area. The study concluded that livestock markets should not be viewed as inherent epidemiogical threats but as systems whose risk profile is highly dependent on sustained preventive measures in the surrounding production areas. This study recommends that periodic mass vaccination campaigns be sustained and strengthened, particularly in high-risk zones within livestock market catchment areas and that improvements should be made to mitigate critical biosecurity deficits identified in livestock markets. These actions will support sustainable livestock trade and enhance resilience against FMD in Uganda’s cattle corridor.
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    Uptake and coverage of DPT3 vaccine among nationals and refugees in Nakivale Refugee Settlement, Isingiro District
    (Makerere University, 2025) Mbabazi, Caroline
    The uptake and coverage of vaccines are critical components of public health, particularly in refugee and rural settings where populations are vulnerable to infectious diseases. A study was conducted in a resource-limited setting in Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Isingiro District, Uganda, to understand the factors influencing DPT3 (diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus) vaccine uptake among nationals and refugees. Questionnaires were administered and data collected through structured interviews. The study included 399 respondents, mainly female (54.9%), aged 25-34 years (37.6%), mostly Christian (62.7%) with secondary education (45.1%), and nearly half employed (50.1%). Socio-demographic factors significantly associated with population group were sex, age, marital status, education, occupation, religion, and information from religious leaders (p < 0.05). Vaccine coverage showed disparities. Overall DPT3 uptake was 64.4%, below the national target of 90%, with nationals having higher uptake (72.7%) than refugees (62.4%). Participants aged 36-45 years were 71% less likely to receive DPT3 compared to those aged 18-25 (AOR = 0.29, p = 0.004). Married (AOR = 0.19, p < 0.001) and divorced (AOR = 0.03, p < 0.001) participants were significantly less likely to vaccinate than singles. Catholics and other minority religions were 96-97% less likely to uptake DPT3 compared to Anglicans (p < 0.001). Caregivers living 5-10 km and >10 km from health facilities were about 9.7 and 8.8 times more likely to vaccinate than those within 5 km (p < 0.001). Knowledge of polio vaccination increased the likelihood of DPT3 uptake by 11.86 times (p < 0.001), whereas knowledge about TB vaccination was associated with 92% lower likelihood (p < 0.001). Mass media as a source of information increased vaccine uptake likelihood by 8.26 times (p = 0.001), while family members as a source of information reduced uptake by 64% (p = 0.009). Belief that vaccination is disseminated by gender and that vaccines protect against diseases increased uptake by 5.18 and 4.73 times, respectively (p < 0.01). Among refugees, similar patterns were observed about knowledge of polio vaccination (AOR = 5.12, TB vaccination knowledge reducing uptake (AOPR = 0.25), and mass media promoting uptake (AOR = 4.74). Among nationals, knowledge of polio increased DPT3 uptake about 18.42 times (p = 0.008); belief that multiple doses harm children reduced uptake by 93% (p = 0.025); belief engendered by vaccine dissemination increased uptake by 9.84 times (p = 0.044). These results highlight how socio-demographic, knowledge, and belief factors influence DPT3 uptake, with differences between nationals and refugees and areas of targeted intervention.
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    Prevalence and factors associated with herbal medicine use among tuberculosis patients at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital, Uganda
    (Makerere University, 2025) Mugala, Daphine
    Tuberculosis treatment presents a significant challenge due to the high pill burden, the treatment duration and the associated side effects. As a result, patients are likely to default on treatment, exhibit poor adherence, consider the use of alternative medicines, and thus increase the chance of developing multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of herbal medicine use and associated factors among TB patients of Mbale Regional Referral Hospital. A hospital-based cross-sectional study employing a mixed-methods design was conducted among 190 TB patients selected through systematic sampling. Quantitative data were collected using structured questionnaires, while qualitative insights were gathered through semi-structured interviews with purposively selected participants. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression, whereas qualitative data were analysed thematically. Of the 190 participants, 65.26% had used herbal medicines before their TB diagnosis, while 17.89% reported concurrent use during TB treatment. Key reasons included symptom relief (54.10%), perceived cure (27.87%), and management of drug side effects (13.11%). Multivariate analysis revealed that patients aged 51–60 years (COR = 5.60), those above 60 years (COR = 6.68), married individuals (COR = 4.70), the widowed (COR = 6.76), and those influenced by other TB patients (AOR = 5.24) were significantly more likely to use herbal medicines. Qualitative findings reinforced these patterns. Participants described herbs as “strong,” “natural,” or “boosting immunity,” and some believed they could “clear the chest faster.” Herbal medicine use remains a common practice among TB patients, driven by cultural beliefs, perceived benefits, and strong social influence from family and peers. Older and widowed individuals are particularly at risk of concurrent use. There is a need for enhanced patient–provider communication, targeted health education, and community-level engagement to address misconceptions and promote safe, uninterrupted TB treatment. Keywords: Tuberculosis, Herbal medicine, MRRH, Uganda
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    Occurrence of histidine-rich protein 2/3 gene deletions among plasmodium falciparum isolates from newly arrived refugees in Uganda: Implications for malaria control strategies
    (Makerere University, 2025) Kyambadde, Eric Kisaakye
    The WHO declared Histidine Rich Protein 2/3 gene deletions a rising global health threat. This is because they cause false negative results with HRP2-based RDTs hence affecting effective disease management. HRP2-based RDTs are used to conduct 90% of all malaria RDT tests in Uganda. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of hrp2/3 gene deletions among newly arrived refugees in Uganda across four refugee transit centers. Using RDT and microscopy results from 752 newly arrived (< 7 days of stay in Uganda) refugees aged 6 months to 10 years old from November 2023 to April 2024, dried blood spot (DBS) samples of study participants with RDT-negative/microscopy-positive results were retrieved from cold storage (-20°C). 6 out of 752 samples were RDT-negative/microscopy-positive and their DNA was extracted from DBS. Parasitemia of the samples was determined using qPCR. Four samples had parasitemia above 1 parasite/µL. These were then analyzed using nano-plate digital PCR to assess for hrp2/3 gene deletions. Nano plate digital PCR found no hrp2/3 gene deletions in any of the four samples. Based on these findings, the discordance in the RDT-negative/microscopy-positive results of the samples was not as a result of hrp2/3 gene deletions. It could however be due to very low parasitemia as determined by qPCR and mixed infections with non-P. falciparum parasites which could reduce the sensitivity of RDTs. However, since the countries of origin of the newly arrived refugees including DRC, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Rwanda have reported occurrences of hrp2/3 gene deletions, the study cannot rule out occurrence of these gene deletions in P. falciparum among newly arrived refugees since the sample collection period was small (6 months) and the sample size (n=752) is only a small fraction of population of the countries of origin. Continuous monitoring for hrp2/3 gene deletions in this study population is hence recommended as they are still a significant rising threat to malaria control globally.
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    Microbial detoxification of aflatoxins in poultry feeds: effects on nutrient stability and Detoxification capacity of freeze-dried Bacillus spp. (B285) and Saccharomyces spp. (Y833)
    (Makerere University, 2025) Abuo, Martha
    Microbial detoxification using Bacillus spp. (B285) and Saccharomyces spp. (Y833) offers a promising alternative to the use of chemical methods to degrade aflatoxins while preserving essential nutrients. This study evaluated the detoxification efficiency of Bacillus spp. (B285) and Saccharomyces spp. (Y833) in aflatoxin-contaminated poultry feeds, their effect on nutrient stability, and their detoxification capacity when freeze-dried. Five broiler starter feeds (four commercial and one lab-formulated) were artificially contaminated with 100 ppb each of AFB₁, AFB₂, AFG₁, and AFG₂. The feeds were subjected to four different treatment conditions, including microbial application of Bacillus spp. (B285) and Saccharomyces spp. (Y833) at 1.5×10⁸ CFU/mL, a chemical binder Bentonite (positive control), and normal saline (negative control). Residual Aflatoxin concentrations were quantified using Liquid Chromatography- Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) to determine the efficacy of aflatoxin decontamination. Nutrient stability assessment was performed on treated samples to measure the profiles of crude protein, crude fat, fat-soluble vitamins (A, D3, and K1), and 18 amino acids. The detoxification performance of the freeze-dried Bacillus spp. (B285) and Saccharomyces spp. (Y833) incorporated into poultry feed was also assessed over three months. Data were analyzed using RStudio v4.4.2.2024-10-31. Both microbial strains significantly reduced aflatoxin levels by 78.2-81.3% compared with untreated controls (p ≤ 0.05), while Bentonite achieved up to 81.6%. Nutrient stability analysis revealed that crude fat remained unchanged (p > 0.05), whereas crude protein decreased by 18.9% under Bacillus B285 (p = 0.015) but increased by 8.1% under Saccharomyces Y833. Fat-soluble vitamins responded variably: vitamin A1 increased with Bacillus (+38%) and bentonite (+37%) but decreased with yeast (-54%); vitamin D3 was markedly elevated by Bentonite (+93%) and yeast (+82%) compared with baseline (p≤ 0.05-0.001); and vitamin K1 remained stable across all treatments. Amino acid profiles showed sharp decline in case of alanine (72-81%) and histidine (65-97%), while branched- chain amino acids increased significantly, with leucine rising 27-53-fold (p ≤ 0.001) and isoleucine 9-22-fold (p ≤ 0.001). Freeze-dried Bacillus and Saccharomyces retained detoxification capacity during three months of storage, maintaining aflatoxin concentrations below 10 ppb. These findings demonstrate that while bentonite remains the most effective binder, Saccharomyces Y833 and Bacillus B285 offer biologically sustainable detoxification, with variable effects on nutrients. Their efficacy and storage stability highlighted potential for integration into safe feed production systems.