Makerere University

About: Makerere University is a education organization based out in Kampala, Uganda. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Public health. The organization has 7220 authors who have published 12405 publications receiving 366520 citations. The organization is also known as: Makerere University Kampala & MUK.

Campylobacteriosis, salmonellosis, and shigellosis in free-ranging human-habituated mountain gorillas of Uganda.

Abstract: For conservation purposes and due to growing ecotourism, free-ranging mountain gorillas (Gorilla gorilla beringei) have been habituated to humans. Fecal specimens (n = 62) collected in January 1999 from mountain gorillas of the Bwindi and Mgahinga National Parks, Uganda, were tested for Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp., and Shigella spp., and the overall prevalence of infection was 19%, 13%, and 6%, respectively. The prevalence of positive specimens was not related to the year of habituation of a gorilla group to humans. Campylobacter spp., Salmonella, and Shigella spp. infections were not distributed equally among the age classes of gorillas; most of the enteropathogens (80%), and all Shigella spp. organisms, S. sonnei, S. boydii, and S. flexneri, were isolated from subadults and adult gorillas with ages ranging from 6.0 to 11.9 yr. The prevalence of Campylobacter spp. and Salmonella spp. infections among human-habituated gorillas has doubled during the last 4 yr, and isolation of Shigella spp. for the first time from mountain gorillas, may indicate enhanced anthropozoonotic transmission of these enteropathogens.

Mycobacteria causing human cervical lymphadenitis in pastoral communities in the Karamoja region of Uganda.

Abstract: Mycobacteria from lymph node biopsies of patients with cervical lymphadenitis reporting for tuberculosis treatment in Matany and Moroto Hospitals in the transhumant areas of Karamoja, Uganda were isolated and characterized. The AccuProbe® culture identification kits for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC), M. avium complex (MAC) and M. avium were used to identify the isolates. Spoligotyping, IS901 PCR and IS1311 and IS1245 restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) were used to characterize the isolates. Of the 43 biopsies, ten M. avium, seven M. tuberculosis, three M. bovis, and two M. intracellulare were isolated. Two isolates could not be identified with AccuProbe® and from 19 samples no mycobacteria could be isolated. Three isolates with the Beijing spoligotype were identified from the seven M. tuberculosis isolates. The spoligopatterns of the M. bovis isolates had previously been detected in cattle in Uganda. Isolation of members of the MAC group reflects the complex interaction between the transhumant communities, water sources and their cattle. None of the M. avium isolates harboured IS901, and all showed several bands on IS1311 and IS1245 RFLP, in accordance with M. avium subsp. hominissuis. Composite dendrograms of IS1311 and IS1245 RFLP showed that the isolates were similar and identical patterns were found. The isolation of M. bovis confirms the human infection with zoonotic mycobacteria in areas where consumption of raw milk and meat is routine. Isolation of environmental mycobacteria also confirms their increasing role in human disease and the occupational risk of infection in the transhumant ecosystem in the absence of safe drinking water and environmental contamination.

A preliminary examination of the construct validity of the KABC-II in Ugandan children with a history of cerebral malaria

Abstract: Background: Several diseases and adverse conditions affect the cognitive development of children in Sub-Saharan African There is need to assess these children to determine which abilities are affected and the severity of the damage so as to plan interventions accordingly However most psychological tests developed in the West have not been validated in this region making it impossible to know whether they measure what they were intended to in African children Objective: To examine the construct validity of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition (KABCII) in Ugandan children Methods: Sixty five Ugandan children aged 7 to 16 years (Mean=990, SD=246) were tested using the KABC-II 4459 months (SD=282) after an episode of cerebral malaria The KABC-II scales of Sequential Processing, Simultaneous Processing, Planning and Learning were administered In order to identify which factors result from administering the KABC-II in these children, factor analysis using principal component analysis with Varimax rotation was applied to the subtests making up the above scales Results: Five factors emerged after factor analysis comprising of subtests measuring Sequential Processing, Simultaneous Processing, Planning and Learning The fifth scale comprised of subtests measuring immediate and delayed recall Conclusion: This preliminary study in Ugandan children shows the KABC-II to have good construct validity with subtests measuring similar abilities loading on the same factor The KABC-II can be used in assessing Ugandan children after a few modifications Further analysis of its psychometric properties in Ugandan children is required