Private pharmacy and community health worker engagement in the provision of TB services.

Engaging private health providers and community healthcare workers (CHWs) in the provision of TB care services can increase TB case notification and limit community transmission. We determined whether private pharmacy and community engagement could affect access to TB diagnostic and treatment services in Uganda.We conducted a cross-sectional study on patients diagnosed with TB through three different pathways; by private pharmacies, CHWs, and public health facilities. We collected data on patient demographics, time between symptom recognition and TB treatment initiation, and the amount of money spent on TB care seeking.We collected data from 325 participants; 65.2% were male, with a mean age of 35 years (SD 11.50). The time in days between the onset of symptoms and initiation of treatment was significantly different: respectively 149 (IQR 65.5-295), 119 (IQR 51-200), and 106.5 (IQR 60-201) days for CHWs, pharmacies, and public facilities (P = 0.04). The longest time was between the first contact with a health provider and the TB diagnosis (51 days, IQR 19-104). Participants diagnosed at public health facilities incurred the highest costs.Although the use of CHWs and pharmacies did not shorten the TB treatment pathway, the costs incurred were lower than those in private health facilities..

Flight behavior of Musca domestica and Stomoxys calcitrans (Diptera: Muscidae) in a Kansas dairy barn.

Aerial density, flight thresholds, and periodicity were estimated for the house fly, Musca domestica L., and the stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.), from data collected by suction traps located in a dairy barn in Kansas between 1 July and 31 October 1970. M. domestica catches increased from July to August, declining to near zero by the end of October. S. calcitrans catches peaked in July and September with a major decline in August. Both species exhibited a diel periodicity in flight with maximal activity during the early afternoon. Secondary peaks were detected in the late afternoon or early evening. M. domestica activity peaked about two hours after S. calcitrans. Male and female S. calcitrans flight activity patterns were slightly different, but peaked at the same time. Both species flew at temperatures between 20 and 38 degrees C. At temperatures over 33 degrees C, stable fly activity decreased rapidly. No upper threshold for flight by M. domestica was detected. The median temperature-flight thresholds of male and female S. calcitrans were significantly different, with females flying at lower temperatures than males. The threshold for M. domestica flight was lower than for S. calcitrans. The shape of the temperature-flight relationship indicated that the flight threshold was determined by heat accumulation.