University of Zambia

About: University of Zambia is a education organization based out in Lusaka, Lusaka, Zambia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Health care. The organization has 2593 authors who have published 4402 publications receiving 122411 citations. The organization is also known as: UNZA.

Traditional Regulation of Edible Caterpillar Exploitation in the Kopa Area of Mpika District in Northern Zambia

Abstract: The Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) of the Bisa people of northern Zambia on species, life cycles and host plants of the caterpillars they exploit for food and for household income generation, and the traditional control of caterpillar harvesting, were investigated through a household survey. The accessed indigenous knowledge on caterpillar biology was validated through a forest survey, caterpillar collections and identifications. Eight species of caterpillars were harvested from the surrounding miombo woodlands. Their life systems and host plants were well understood by members of local communities and this knoweldge was communicated amongst them orally. Popular commercial species were Gynanisa maya Strand and Gonimbrasia zambesina Walker. Over 20 miombo tree species hosted the two species but the mean numbers of the caterpillars on Julbernadia paniculata Troupin were significantly larger than those on other host plants (p < 0.05), indicating that J. paniculata was probably the main host plant of the two species. Traditional regulation of caterpillar harvesting involved: (i) monitoring for edible caterpillar development and abundance and for changes in caterpillar habitats, (ii) protection of host plants and moth eggs against late bush fires, through use of traditional fire technology, and (iii) temporal restriction of edible caterpillar harvesting. The possibility of the Zambian Government promoting caterpillar harvesting as an economic incentive to the Bisa people to conserve both this renewable edible caterpillar natural resource and their environment is discussed.

Effect of iron chelation therapy on mortality in Zambian children with cerebral malaria.

Abstract: To examine the effect of iron chelation on mortality in cerebral malaria, we enrolled 352 children in a trial of deferoxamine in addition to standard quinine therapy at 2 centres in Zambia, one rural and one urban Entrance criteria included age < 6 years, Plasmodium falciparum parasitaemia, normal cerebral spinal fluid, and unrousable coma Deferoxamine (100 mg/kg/d infused for a total of 72 h) or placebo was added to a 7 d regimen of quinine that included a loading dose Mortality overall was 183% (32/175) in the deferoxamine group and 107% (19/177) in the placebo group (adjusted odds ratio 18; 95% confidence interval 09-36; P = 0074) At the rural study site, mortality was 154% (18/117) with deferoxamine compared to 127% (15/118) with placebo (P = 078, adjusted for covariates) At the urban site, mortality was 241% (14/58) with deferoxamine and 68% (4/59) with placebo (P = 0061, adjusted for covariates) Among survivors, there was a non-significant trend to faster recovery from coma in the deferoxamine group (adjusted odds ratio 12; 95% confidence interval 097-16; P = 0089) Hepatomegaly was significantly associated with higher mortality, while splenomegaly was associated with lower mortality This study did not provide evidence for a beneficial effect on mortality in children with cerebral malaria when deferoxamine was added to quinine, given in a regimen that included a loading dose

Individual and contextual factors influencing patient attrition from antiretroviral therapy care in an urban community of Lusaka, Zambia

Abstract: Background: Despite the relatively effective roll-out of free life-prolonging antiretroviral therapy (ART) in public sector clinics in Zambia since 2005, and the proven efficacy of ART, some people living with HIV (PLHIV) are abandoning the treatment. Drawing on a wider ethnographic study in a predominantly low-income, high-density residential area of Lusaka, this paper reports the 15 reasons why PLHIV opted to discontinue their HIV treatment. Methods: Opened-ended, in-depth interviews were held with PLHIV who had stopped ART (n=25), ART clinic staff (n=5), religious leaders (n=5), herbal medicine providers (n=5) and lay home-based caregivers (n=5). In addition, participant observations were conducted in the study setting for 18 months. Interview data were analysed using open coding first, and then interpreted using latent content analysis. The presentation of the results is guided by a social-ecological framework. Findings: Patient attrition from ART care is influenced by an interplay of personal, social, health system and structural-level factors. While improved corporeal health, side effects and need for normalcy diminished motivation to continue with treatment, individuals also weighed the social and economic costs of continued uptake of treatment. Long waiting times for medical care and placing ‘‘defaulters’’ on intensive adherence counselling in the context of insecure labour conditions and livelihood constraints not only imposed opportunity costs which patients were not willing to forego, but also forced individuals to balance physical health with social integrity, which sometimes forced them to opt for faith healing and traditional medicine. Conclusions: Complex and dynamic interplay of personal, social, health system and structural-level factors coalesces to influence patient attrition from ART care. Consequently, while patient-centred interventions are required, efforts should be made to improve ART care by extending and establishing flexible ART clinic hours, improving patient-provider dialogue about treatment experiences and being mindful of the way intensive adherence counselling is being enforced. In the context of insecure labour conditions and fragile livelihoods, this would enable individuals to more easily balance time for treatment and their livelihoods. As a corollary, the perceived efficacy of alternative treatment and faith healing needs to be challenged through sensitizations targeting patients, religious leaders/faith healers and herbal medicine providers. Keywords: PLHIV; antiretroviral therapy; attrition; faith healing; herbal remedies; Zambia (Published: 14 June 2012) Citation: Musheke M et al. Journal of the International AIDS Society 2012, 15 (Suppl 1):17366 http://www.jiasociety.org/content/15/3/17366 | http://dx.doi.org/10.7448/IAS.15.3.17366 An Erratum has been published for this paper. Please see http://www.jiasociety.org/index.php/jias/article/view/18590

Infection stage-dependent modulation of macrophage activation in Trypanosoma congolense-resistant and -susceptible mice.

Abstract: The contribution of cytokines and chemokines to resistance and susceptibility to African trypanosomiasis remains controversial. In the present study, the levels of type I and type II cytokines and of the MCP-1 chemokine were compared during the early and late stages of Trypanosoma congolense infection in susceptible BALB/c and resistant C57BL/6 mice. Moreover, the status of macrophage activation was compared in these animals by analyzing the inducible nitric oxide synthase-arginase balance, tumor necrosis factor secretion, and expression of the FIZZ1 and YM genes. Data show that changing from a predominant type I cytokine environment in the early stage of infection to a predominant type II cytokine environment and an enhanced MCP-1 secretion in the late stage of infection correlates with resistance to T. congolense. Concomitantly, macrophage activation evolves from a classical to a predominant alternative phenotype. We further confirmed that the simultaneous occurrence of type I/type II cytokines in the early stage of infection in susceptible BALB/c mice, reflected by the presence of macrophages exhibiting a mixed classical/alternative activation phenotype, is associated with uncontrolled parasite growth and early death. Interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-13 signaling did not influence the susceptibility of BALB/c mice to T. congolense infection and interestingly were not the main trigger to alternative macrophage activation. In T. congolense-resistant C57BL/6 mice, our results corroborated the induction of FIZZ1 and YM gene expressions with the alternative pathway of macrophage activation. In susceptible BALB/c mice, however, YM but not FIZZ1 induction reflected the emergence of alternatively activated macrophages. Hence, the FIZZ1 and YM genes may be useful markers to discriminate between distinct populations of alternatively activated macrophages.