Posters (Hans Hoheisen Wildlife Research Station)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/17655

Posters of research projects done by Hans Hoheisen Wildlife Research Station staff members

For inquiries regarding this collection or items in the collection, please contact Tertia Coetsee
Tel.: +27 12 529 8580

Browse

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6

The bacterial microbiome of Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks in the Mnisi community, South Africa
(2021) Ackermann, Rebecca; Gall, Cory A.; Brayton, Kelly A.; Collins, Nicola E.; Van Wyk, Ilana; Wentzel, Jeanette Maria; Kolo, Agatha Onyemowo; Oosthuizen, Marinda C.; Oosthuizen, Marinda C.; University of Pretoria. Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases; World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology. Conference (27th : 2019)
Rhipicephalus sanguineus, the brown dog tick, is almost exclusively a parasite of domestic dogs and is well adapted to living with its canine host in kennels or human dwellings , where it may also bite people in the safety of their own homes. It is known to transmit various tick-borne diseases. In the Mnisi community, an area of high rural poverty in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, South Africa, R. sanguineus is one of the most prevalent ticks found on dogs. The community lies at the human/livestock/wildlife interface where humans are at risk of infection with various tick-borne zoonotic diseases.
Detection of zoonotic bacterial pathogens in various hosts in the Mnisi community, Mpumalanga, South Africa using a microbiome sequencing approach
(2021) Kolo, Agatha Onyemowo; Collins, Nicola E.; Brayton, Kelly A.; Blumberg, Lucille Hellen; Frean, John; Wentzel, Jeanette Maria; Gall, Cory A.; Oosthuizen, Marinda C.; Oosthuizen, Marinda C.; University of Pretoria. Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases; American Society for Rickettsiology. Meeting (30th : 2019)
The Mnisi community, an agro pastoral area adjacent to the Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa, is classified as one of South Africa's 14 rural poverty nodes. It is nestled at the cusp of a human-livestock-wildlife interface. In this area, undifferentiated non-malarial acute febrile illness (AFI) is among the most common presenting sign in patients seeking healthcare at the community clinics. Recent research suggested that zoonotic pathogens either rodent-borne or tick-borne may be common aetiologies of febrile illness in the community. The study had shown that patients presenting with non-malarial AFI had prior exposure to Bartonella spp., spotted fever group Rickettsia, Coxiella burnetti and Leptospira spp. Low levels of West Nile and Sindbis, but no Rift Valley fever virus exposure were found. In a separate study, partial 16S rRNA gene sequences closely related to the zoonotic tick-borne rickettsial pathogen Anaplasma phagocytophilum have been detected in domestic dogs in the area and R. africae was found in ticks collected from dogs. Research in the area has also found rodents to be common and abundant with 76% of households reporting that they have seen rodents around their homes; of which 62% saw them on a daily basis. The active surveillance for potential pathogens in febrile patients, wild rodents, domestic dogs and cattle is thus of utmost importance in order to identify emerging zoonotic pathogens which could impact human health and livestock production in the Mnisi area and beyond.
Bacterial blood microbiome of rodents captured from a human/livestock/wildlife interface in Bushbuckridge, South Africa
(2021) Kolo, Agatha Onyemowo; Gall, Cory A.; Wentzel, Jeanette Maria; Kolo, Francis Babaman; Van Heerden, Henriette; Collins, Nicola E.; Brayton, Kelly A.; Oosthuizen, Marinda C.; Oosthuizen, Marinda C.; University of Pretoria. Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases
Zoonotic pathogens make up an important and increasing number of emerging and reemerging infectious diseases of humans worldwide. It has been documented that rodents serve as hosts and reservoirs of over 60 zoonotic pathogens that pose significant challenges to human health. The Mnisi community area in Bushbuckridge Municipality, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa is cradled in the heart of a human/livestock/wildlife interface. In this community humans, domestic animals and wildlife have perennial direct and indirect contact. Research in the area has found rodents to be common and abundant with 76% of households reported seeing rodents around their homes. Of that number 62% of the respondents saw them daily. A recent study in the area suggests that rodent-borne zoonoses may be implicated as causes of non-malarial acute febrile illness. In this study, 6.5% of acute febrile illness patients tested positive for the rodent-borne zoonotic pathogen Bartonella spp. on PCR, while 6.8% of patients showed prior exposure to Coxiella burnetti, the cause of Q fever and 2.3% to Leptospira spp. The surveillance of zoonotic pathogens in rodents in this community is thus of utmost importance as the role they play in the transmission of zoonotic pathogens to humans is unknown.
A survey of risk factors with regard to bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis in Mnisi, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa
(2021) Molefe, Cisky Kgabisa; Pietersen, M; Michel, Anita Luise; Michel, Anita Luise; University of Pretoria. Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases
Cow’s milk forms an essential component of household diets and is an important source of animal protein to poor communities (especially for the young and old). Milk is largely consumed unpasteurised and poses a threat to human health from zoonotic diseases such as bovine tuberculosis (BTB) and brucellosis (Bryan 1983). The recent detection of both infections in the cattle population in the Mnisi area (Matekwe 2012, Musoke unpublished information) prompted an investigation of the risk factors associated with the zoonotic transmission of the causative agents, Mycobacterium bovis and Brucella abortus.
The prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in cattle at the wildlife/livestock interface in the Mnisi community, South Africa
(2021) Musoke, Jolly; Hlokwe, Tiny Motlatso; Marcotty, Tanguy; Michel, Anita Luise; University of Pretoria. Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases
Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) is caused by Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis), of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. The pathogen has a wide host range including humans, wildlife, livestock as well as domestic animals. The disease has great implications in livestock productivity, conservation of endangered wildlife and public health due to its zoonotic potential (Firdessa et al., 2012). Reports have mentioned the endemic levels and potential spread of BTB in South African game reserves, particularly the Kruger National Park (Michel et al., 2006). However, limited to no research has been conducted to investigate the potential spill-back of BTB into livestock, especially in communities' bordering the game reserves at the wildlife/livestock/human interface.
Investigating Rickettsia africae infection in Amblyomma hebraeum ticks in Mnisi, Bushbuckridge Municipality, South Africa
(2021) Mazhetese, Estere; Lukanji, Z; Das Neves, Luis Carlos Bernardo G.; Morar-Leather, Darshana; University of Pretoria. Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases
Rickettsia africae is an intracellular gram-negative bacteria which belongs to the Spotted Fever Group (SFG). It is transmitted by Amblyomma hebraeum ticks in Southern Africa and Amblyomma variegatum in West, Central and Eastern Africa (Kelly et al., 1992). It causes African Tick Bite Fever (ATBF) in humans and has mostly been reported in tourists who visit Southern Africa (Raoult et al., 2001). Transovarial and transstadial transmission of R. africae in A. hebraeum ticks has been proved (Kelly & Mason, 1991). The aim of the study was to investigate R. africae infection in A. hebraeum ticks in Mnisi

Browse

Recent Submissions