Monitoring Multi-Drug Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in Kitagata Hot Spring, Southwestern Uganda: A Public Health Implication.

Background: The concerning frequency of K. pneumoniae in various recreational settings, is noteworthy, especially regarding multi-drug resistant (MDR) strains. This superbug is linked to the rapid spread of plasmids carrying these resistance genes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the spatiotemporal prevalence of MDR-K. pneumoniae in the Kitagata hot spring, Southwestern Uganda. Methods: A laboratory-based descriptive longitudinal study was conducted between May and July 2023. During rainy and dry seasons, we collected eighty water samples in the morning and evening from the hot spring. The temperature at each point was measured prior to sample collection, and two samples were obtained at varying depths. 5 mL of each homogenized sample were pre-enriched in brain heart infusion broth, and subsequently in both blood and violet red bile agar. The Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method was performed, followed by the detection of carbapenemase (CR) and extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL) production. Polymerase chain reaction showed resistance genes viz. bla TEM, bla CTX-M and bla KPC. Data were analyzed using SPSS-20 to obtain chi-square tests and regression analysis. Results: K. pneumoniae accounted for 30.0% of isolates obtained from Kitagata hot springs, with all isolates classified as multi-drug resistant. All isolates were resistant to ampicillin, rifampicin, ceftazidime, and azithromycin (79.2%). Additionally, 95.8% of isolates harbored bla TEM gene alone and both bla TEM and bla CTX genes, followed by bla KPC alone (33.3%), with 25% harboring all three resistance genes. During the dry season, K. pneumoniae had a higher prevalence (35.0%) compared to the wet season (25.0%). The prevalence of MDR-K. pneumoniae significantly increased over the course of the study. The presence of the three studied resistance genes in the isolates showed a positive correlation with the second phase of sample collection and the dry season but exhibited a negative correlation with temperature, except for isolates harboring either bla TEM alone or bla TEM+KPC+CTX genes. Conclusion: Kitagata hot spring serves as a hotspot for continuous dissemination and acquisition of MDR-K. pneumoniae harboring resistance genes that encode for ESBL and CR production. The healthcare sector ought to implement an ongoing monitoring and surveillance system as well as robust antimicrobial resistance stewardship programs aimed at delivering health education to the community.

Advancing Vaccinology Capacity: Education and Efforts in Vaccine Development and Manufacturing across Africa.

Africa, home to the world's second-largest population of approximately 1.3 billion, grapples with significant challenges in meeting its medical needs, particularly in accessing quality healthcare services and products. The continent faces a continuous onslaught of emerging infectious diseases, exacerbating the strain on its already fragile public health infrastructure. The COVID-19 crisis highlighted the urgency to build local vaccine production capacity and strengthen the health infrastructure in general. The risks associated with a heavy reliance on imported vaccines were exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, necessitating the need to nurture and strengthen the local manufacturing of vaccines and therapeutic biologics. Various initiatives addressing training, manufacturing, and regulatory affairs are underway, and these require increasing dedicated and purposeful financial investment. Building vaccine manufacturing capacity requires substantial investment in training and infrastructure. This manuscript examines the current state of education in vaccinology and related sciences in Africa. It also provides an overview of the continent's efforts to address educational needs in vaccine development and manufacturing. Additionally, it evaluates the initiatives aimed at strengthening vaccine education and literacy, highlighting successful approaches and ongoing challenges. By assessing the progress made and identifying the remaining obstacles, this review offers insights into how Africa can enhance its vaccine manufacturing capacity to respond to vaccine-preventable disease challenges.

Serological and RT-PCR evaluation of African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa (Hochst ex. A. Rich) Harms) accessions to viral resistance under field condition.

African yam bean (AYB) (Sphenostylis stenocarpa (Hochst ex. A. Rich.) harms) an underutilized legume that produces nutritionally healthy seeds and tubers in some variety. The low yield of the crop is attributed to production constraints such as attacks by pest and disease-causing organisms such as fungi, bacteria and viruses. In this study, one hundred AYB accessions were evaluated for resistance to viral infection. The AYB accessions were planted using a randomized complete block design on the experimental field at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Ibadan, Nigeria. Viral disease severity was assessed at 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 weeks after planting (WAP) based on disease symptoms using disease severity index on visual scale of 1-5. Antigen-coated plate enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction were used to index diseased leaf samples collected from the field. Result from five virus species (Cowpea mild mottle virus, Cowpea mottle virus, Southern bean mosaic virus, Cowpea mosaic virus and Bean common mosaic virus) were detected in few accessions while mixed infections were observed in some accessions. TSs-552, TSs-577, TSs-580, TSs-560 and TSs-600 were devoid of viruses and could be resistant. There were no significant differences at p < 0.05 in the mean disease incidence (DI) of viral diseases. However, at 18 weeks after planting, TSs-604 had the highest (100%) mean DI while TSs-584 had the lowest (13.33%) mean DI. Cluster analysis based on the AUDPC produced 6 main clusters, the clusters revealed grouping patterns in which AYB lines with similar resistance ratings were shown to form unique clusters. The information generated from this study will contribute to the development of strategies in the management of virus diseases infecting AYB.

Nutritional, functional, and bioactive properties of african underutilized legumes.

Globally, legumes are vital constituents of diet and perform critical roles in maintaining well-being owing to the dense nutritional contents and functional properties of their seeds. While much emphasis has been placed on the major grain legumes over the years, the neglected and underutilized legumes (NULs) are gaining significant recognition as probable crops to alleviate malnutrition and give a boost to food security in Africa. Consumption of these underutilized legumes has been associated with several health-promoting benefits and can be utilized as functional foods due to their rich dietary fibers, vitamins, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), proteins/essential amino acids, micro-nutrients, and bioactive compounds. Despite the plethora of nutritional benefits, the underutilized legumes have not received much research attention compared to common mainstream grain legumes, thus hindering their adoption and utilization. Consequently, research efforts geared toward improvement, utilization, and incorporation into mainstream agriculture in Africa are more convincing than ever. This work reviews some selected NULs of Africa (Adzuki beans (Vigna angularis), African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa), Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea), Jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis), Kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), Lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus), Marama bean (Tylosema esculentum), Mung bean, (Vigna radiata), Rice bean (Vigna Umbellata), and Winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus)), and their nutritional, and functional properties. Furthermore, we highlight the prospects and current challenges associated with the utilization of the NULs and discusses the strategies to facilitate their exploitation as not only sources of vital nutrients, but also their integration for the development of cheap and accessible functional foods.

The Exploitation of Orphan Legumes for Food, Income, and Nutrition Security in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Poverty, food, and nutrition insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have become major concerns in recent times. The effects of climate change, drought, and unpredictable rainfall patterns threaten food production and sustainable agriculture. More so, insurgency, youth restiveness, and politico-economic instability amidst a burgeoning population requiring a sufficient and healthy diet remain front-burner issues in the region. Overdependence on only a few major staple crops is increasingly promoting the near extinction of many crops, especially orphan legumes, which possess immense potentials as protein and nutritional security crops. The major staple crops are declining in yield partly to their inability to adapt to the continuously changing climatic conditions. Remarkably, the orphan legumes are climate-smart crops with enormous agronomic features which foster sustainable livelihood. Research efforts on these crops have not attained a reasonable comparative status with most commercial crops. Though many research organizations and scientists have made efforts to promote the improvement and utilization of these orphan legumes, there is still more to be done. These legumes' vast genetic resources and economic utility are grossly under-exploited, but their values and promising impacts are immeasurable. Given the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs) of zero hunger, improved nutrition, health, and sustainable agriculture, the need to introduce these crops into food systems in SSA and other poverty-prone regions of the world is now more compelling than ever. This review unveils inherent values in orphan legumes needing focus for exploitation viz-a-viz cultivation, commercialization, and social acceptance. More so, this article discusses some of the nutraceutical potentials of the orphan legumes, their global adaptability, and modern plant breeding strategies that could be deployed to develop superior phenotypes to enrich the landraces. Advanced omics technologies, speed breeding, as well as the application of genome editing techniques, could significantly enhance the genetic improvement of these useful but underutilized legumes. Efforts made in this regard and the challenges of these approaches were also discussed.

Impacts of a glyphosate-based herbicide on the gut microbiome of three earthworm species (Alma millsoni, Eudrilus eugeniae and Libyodrilus violaceus): A pilot study.

While the impact of glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) on earthworms has been studied, little is known about their effects on the earthworm gut microbiome. This study investigated the impact of a GBH on the gut microbial communities of three earthworm species (Alma millsoni, Eudrilus eugeniae and Libyodrilus violaceus). Earthworm species accommodated in soil were sprayed with 115.49 mL/m² of Roundup® Alphée or water. Gut microbiome composition was analysed using 16S rRNA Bacterial Tag-Encoded FLX Amplicon Pyrosequencing (bTEFAP) at the 8th week post-herbicide application. A profound shift in bacterial populationswas observed in all exposed earthworms with Proteobacteria becoming the dominant phylum. Affected bacteria were mostly from the genus Enterobacter, Pantoea and Pseudomonas, which together represented approximately 80 % of the total abundance assigned at the genus level in exposed earthworms, while they were present at a minor abundance (∼1%) in unexposed earthworms. Although consistent results were observed between the three groups of worm species, it is not possible to generalize these outcomes due to a lack of biological replicates, which does not allow for inferential statistical analysis. Nevertheless, our study is the first to report the effects of a GBH on the earthworm gut microbiome and paves the way for future more comprehensive investigations.

Rhizosphere Microbiome Cooperations: Strategies for Sustainable Crop Production.

Interactions between microorganisms and host plants determine the growth and development as well as the health of the host plant. Various microbial groups inhabit the rhizosphere, each with its peculiar function. The survival of each microbial group depends to a large extent on its ability to colonize the plant root and outcompete the native organisms. The role of the rhizospheric microbiome in enhancing plant growth has not been fully maximized. An understanding of the complexities of microbial interactions and factors affecting their assembly in the community is necessary to benefit maximally from the cooperations of various microbial communities for sustainable crop production. In this review, we outline the various organisms associated with the plant rhizosphere with emphasis on their interactions and mechanisms used in plant growth promotion.