Significance of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) as a feed resource towards small-ruminant animal production in Southern Africa: a review.

Sesamum indicum (sesame) is a small seed legume, which is of nutritional and medicinal value to livestock. Sesame is a legume with positive attributes that include drought tolerance (owing to its extensive rooting system), low input demand for growth, and reduction of soil nematodes (in crop rotation systems). Attention in research has been shifted towards usage of sesame as human food to exploitation as livestock feed because of its high levels in crude protein (CP), minerals, amino acids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). However, it is underutilized as a livestock feed resource in Southern Africa. In recent years, there has been increasing interest to cultivate the crop in Southern African countries through non-governmental organizations (NGOs) initiatives. The focus of such initiatives has been mainly production without value addition of the seed. At present in Southern Africa, widespread adoption of feeding strategies based on sesame has been restricted mainly due to lack of knowledge on production, marketing and value addition, availability of the seed, and technology adoption. Technology adoption is often limited specifically when oil extraction is considered, where by-products such as the meal are useful in animal production. This paper reviews the potential use of sesame to improve growth rates, feed intake, carcass qualities, meat quality, milk quality, milk yield, and blood metabolite levels of small ruminants. Production potential, economic feasibility, and strategies of using sesame in small-ruminant feeding programs are also outlined.

[Knowledge of the general population about hypertension and diabetes mellitus in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo]. / Connaissances de la population générale sur l'hypertension artérielle et le diabète sucré au Sud-Kivu, République démocratique du Congo.

BACKGROUND: In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a country in a post-conflict period, high priority cannot be given to non-communicable diseases other than to emergencies. This certainly involves inadequacy in raising awareness for prevention of these diseases. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the level of knowledge of the Congolese general population on hypertension and diabetes mellitus. METHODS: Responses to a questionnaire from 3% of the general population aged 15 and older in the city of Bukavu and two rural areas: Hombo and Walungu (South Kivu, eastern DRC), recruited after stratification by ward in the city of Bukavu and a group of prone villages were expected. The questions focused on identification, testing, causes, complications and treatment of hypertension and diabetes mellitus. RESULTS: Of the 7770 respondents, screening for hypertension and diabetes mellitus affected only 14.9% and 7.3% of subjects respectively. Knowledge of these two conditions was generally low in the general population, although better in the subgroups of patients and those with higher socioeconomic level (P<0.05). Use of the medias was also associated with better knowledge (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that knowledge about hypertension and diabetes mellitus and their testing in South Kivu is low. It is imperative that the Congolese government includes non-communicable diseases in its priorities of the millennium. Similarly, the WHO should actively contribute to screening for them in low-income countries.

[Hepatitis B and C among volunteer non-remunerated blood donors in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo]. / Les hépatites B et C chez les donneurs bénévoles de sang et non rémunérés de l'Est de la République démocratique du Congo.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the global prevalence of hepatitis B and C among voluntary blood donor. METHODS: In the study, 1079 blood donors were included. The investigation was carried out from 1 January till 31 December 2010 in the central Blood Bank of Bukavu in DRC. The median age of sample was 26 years. In total, 72.4% among them were male sex and 54.5% of new blood donors. RESULTS: The prevalence of hepatitis B was 4.2% and hepatitis C was found in 3.8% case the coinfection VHB and VHC with 2.2%. VHB was prevalent in blood donor group of less than 30 years (5.0%), new blood donor (5.1%), in medical profession (7.1%) and in the male sex group (5.1%) and was significantly according to the sex (P=0.01) and the place of residence (P=0.002). A strong association was showed between the rural medium and hepatitis B OR 3,1 (1.4-6.5) and VHC OR 2.9 (1.3-6.5). After estimation with logistic regression a higher risk of seropositivity of VHB found in blood donor sex male group, married group, blood donor coming from the rural middle and having less than 30 years. CONCLUSION: For blood safety, a particular attention must be laid in the selection of donor before a blood donation and in donation in reagent.