The East African Community mobile laboratory network prepares for monkeypox outbreaks.

In response to the largest recorded monkeypox virus outbreak outside of endemic Central and Western Africa, the East African Community (EAC), in cooperation with the Bernhard-Nocht- Institute for Tropical Medicine, coordinated an emergency monkeypox diagnostic training for the East African Region. As of June 2022, the Democratic Republic of Congo reported a steady increase of suspected monkeypox cases, increasing the risk of spill-over into the remaining six EAC Partner States. Within the existing EAC Mobile Laboratories project, laboratory experts of the National Public Health Laboratories of the remaining six EAC Partner States (Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and South Sudan) participated in the workshop and were trained in the reception of suspect samples, DNA extraction and diagnosis using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The EAC region is now equipped with the tools to prepare and rapidly respond to any emerging monkeypox outbreak.

Preliminary investigation and intervention of the suspected plague outbreak in Madunga, Babati District-Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Rodents are known to be reservoirs of plague bacteria, Yesinia pestis in the sylvatic cycle. A preliminary investigation of the suspected plague outbreak was conducted in Madunga Ward, Babati District Council in Manyara Region December-2019-January 2020 Following reported two cases which were clinically suspected as showing plague disease symptoms. METHOD: The commensal and field rodents were live trapped using Sherman traps in Madunga Ward, where plague suspect cases were reported and, in the Nou-forest reserve areas at Madunga Ward, Babati District Council, to assess plague risk in the area. Fleas were collected inside the houses using light traps and on the rodents 'body after anaesthetizing the captured rodent to determine flea indices which are used to estimate the risk of plague transmission. Lung impression smears were made from sacrificed rodents to examine for possible bipolar stained Yersinia spp bacilli. RESULTS: A total of 86 rodents consisting of ten rodent species were captured and identified from the study sites. Nine forest rodent species were collected. Field/fallow rodent species were dominated by Mastomys natalensis. whereas domestic rodent species captured was Rattus rattus. Overall lung impression smear showed bipolar stain were 14 (16.28%) while House Flea Index (HFI) was 3.1 and Rodent Flea Index (RFI) was 1.8. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study have shown that, the presence of bipolar stained bacilli in lung impression smears of captured species of rodents indicates (not confirmed) possible circulation of Yesrsinia pests in rodents and the high flea indices in the area which included the most common flea species known to be plague vectors in Tanzania could have played transmission role in this suspected outbreak. The study recommends surveillance follow-up in the area and subject collected samples to the standard plague confirmatory diagnosis.

Draft genome sequence of a multidrug-resistant caprine isolate of Staphylococcus cohnii subsp. urealyticus from Tanzania encoding ermB, tet(K), dfrG, fusF and fosD.

OBJECTIVES: Coagulase-negative staphylococci such as Staphylococcus cohnii are opportunistic pathogens of humans and animals. A multidrug-resistant isolate of S. cohnii subsp. urealyticus (073AN) was isolated from the nasal cavity of a healthy goat in Tanzania. This study produced and analysed a draft genome sequence of strain 073AN to investigate the genetic basis for antimicrobial resistance in this isolate. METHODS: Strain 073AN was sequenced using HiSeq 2000 technology, sequencing reads were assembled using Velvet, and the genome was annotated using Prokka. RESULTS: The draft genome of strain 073AN is 2677652bp in size with a GC content of 32.5%. The isolate was resistant to several classes of antimicrobials, which correlated with the presence of known antimicrobial resistance genes. Of particular note, the draft genome sequence of strain 073AN represents the first report of fosD in S. cohnii and the first descriptions of fosD and fusF in Africa. CONCLUSION: The draft genome sequence of S. cohnii subsp. urealyticus 073AN released here provides an insight into the antimicrobial resistance determinants found in this species and in Tanzania and offers a valuable resource for further studies on staphylococcal genomics and antimicrobial resistance.

Draft Genome Sequence of a Multiresistant Bovine Isolate of Staphylococcus lentus from Tanzania.

We report here the draft genome sequence of a Staphylococcus lentus isolate, 050AP, collected in Tanzania from a swab of healthy bovine perineum. The draft genome sequence contained 2.72 Mbp and 2,750 coding sequences with a G+C content of 31.7%.