College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and BioSecurity (CoVAB)

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    A retrospective study on potential waterborne diseases recorded in health facilities in and around Buhoma, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda (2015-2024)
    (Makerere University, 2026) Akumu, Mary
    Communities adjacent to wildlife protected areas face elevated waterborne disease risks due to poor WASH infrastructure, and human–wildlife interactions. At Buhoma, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP), Uganda, shared water sources between humans, livestock, and endangered mountain gorillas may facilitate pathogen transmission, yet disease trends remain poorly documented. This study aimed to establish the distribution, trends and establish the impact of weather changes on waterborne diseases recorded at health facilities in and around Buhoma, BINP, from 2015 to 2024. A retrospective cross – sectional study was conducted at Kayonza Health Center III, Buhoma, reviewing 1,789 waterborne disease records from July 2017 to September 2024. Patient demographics and diagnoses were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Quarterly case counts were subjected to time series decomposition, ARIMA modeling and Granger causality tests. Secondary climate data (rainfall, and temperature) were obtained from Ruhija Meteorological Station. Patients had a median age of 3.8 years (IQR [1.3 – 13.0]). Helminths were the most prevalent (48.5%), followed by chronic diarrhea (33.6%) and acute diarrhea (13.9%). Chronic and acute diarrhea constitutes 47.5% of the cases, while protozoal infections were rarely diagnosed (<1%). Time series decomposition revealed strong seasonality and an upward trend in cases. ARIMA (0,1,2) forecasting projected persistent instability. Rainfall showed a near – significant effect on disease occurrence (Granger causality: F=4.39, p-value=0.06); temperature had no significant effect. Waterborne infections, particularly diarrheal diseases, pose a substantial burden in this wildlife – adjacent community, disproportionately affecting young children. Seasonal patterns and potential rainfall linkages suggest climate vulnerability. Low protozoal detection likely reflects diagnostic gaps. Targeted WASH interventions for children, strengthened surveillance, mass deworming, and multisectoral approaches are urgently needed.
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    Acaricidal activity of Tephrosia Vogelii on Rhipicephallus decoloratus ticks collected from Kamira sub county in Luwero district
    (Makerere University, 2022) Sseruwu, Francis
    In Uganda, tick management among cattle farmers has become an important problem due to the increasing tick resistance to most of the synthetic acaricides on the market. The increasing acaricide resistance has been accelerated by farmers using wrong dilutions, application methods, and the increased acaricide pressure, hence lowering the productivity of the animal.Furthermore, the increasing ticks and TBDs of cattle due to resistance have resulted into increased demand for alternative control strategies in order to reduce on the livestock losses. This experimental study was intended to evaluate the acaricidal efficacy and phytochemical composition of Tephrosia vogelii methanolic leaf extracts on the ticks collected from Kamira Sub County in Luwero district. The Phytochemical screening of the methanolic leaf extract revealed the presence of various classes of compounds such as Alkaloids, Tannins, Phenols, and Flavanoids with minor presence of Saponins and traces of Terpenoids and Glycosides. When the adult immersion test was carried out the results showed that the average tick mortality increased with increasing concentration of T.vogelii leaf extract and time. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in tick mortality for all the treatments after 24hrs and 48hrs post treatment. After 72hrs post treatment, a significant difference was observed (p<0.05) in all the concentrations of 2.5%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 40%, and the Amitraz with respective mortalities of 16.5%, 44.0%, 38.5%, 50.0%,67.0%, and 11.0%. Therefore, from the results obtained from this study, we can conclude that indeed Tephrosi avogelii leaf extracts have an acaricidal activity on ticks.
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    Acute and subacute dermal toxicity of Dudu-Acelamectin in wistar albino rats
    (Makerere University, 2023-10) Kawuma, Denis
    Dudu-acelamectin is a crop pesticide misused by some farmers in Uganda for tick control. The farmers who use it allege that it causes adverse effects on livestock and on human who get exposed to it during the spraying. Therefore, acute and subacute dermal toxicity studies were conducted based on OECD 402 (2017) and OECD 410 (1981) guidelines to assess the allegations on the toxicity of Dudu-acelamectin via dermal route. A total of 24 Wistar Albino Rats were used, where Dudu-Acelamectin was applied on about 10𝑐𝑚2 of shaved skin. In the acute toxicity study, 3 rats were used per dose level. The rats in each group were weighed on day 1, 7 and 14. A dose-range finding study at 200, 1000 and 2000 mg/Kg was conducted where rats were exposed once to the given dose and then observed for clinical signs and mortalities for 14 subsequent days. For the subacute toxicity study, 3 rats per dose were weighed on day 1, 7, 14 and 21, and were tested daily for 21 days at 1, 100, and 200mg/Kg to determine the clinical signs, histo pathological lesions, and the defects on renal and hepatic function tests. The mean values of body weights and the renal and hepatic function tests were statistically analysed, relative to the negative control, using One-way ANOVA at a significance level of 0.05. It was found that Dudu-Acelamectin has a dermal LD50 > 2000 mg/Kg in wistar albino rats. Mild dermal irritation was noted at 1000 and 2000 mg/Kg. Lethargy was observed at 200, 1000, and 2000 mg/Kg. On Day 1, the mean body weight was statistically significant (P 2000 mg/Kg, and causes damages to the skin, liver and kidneys in Wistar Albino Rats. Hence, these adverse effects should be used as experimental evidence of the adverse effects of Dudu-Acelamectin upon dermal exposure in Wistar Albino Rats
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    Acute dermal toxicity of the aqueous leaf extract of Azadirachta Indica used locally in treatment of Acne
    (Makerere University, 2021-01) Kiiza, Elizabeth
    In developing countries, herbal medicines are largely prioritized due to cultural acceptability, ready availability and low cost.Although some herbal medicines have promising potential and are widely used, many of them remain untested and their use also not monitored. Therefore,this study aimed at evaluating the acute dermal toxicity of the aqueous leaf extract of Azadirachta indicaused in the treatment of acne. A controlled experimental study which involved extraction, phytochemical screening, acute dermal toxicity testing, cutaneous LD50determination, observation of clinical manifestation and histopathological examination was carried out in Wistar albino rats. Four experimental groups were used each containing three wistar rats. Animals in groups1, 2 and 3 were topically administered with4ml of 4000mg/kg, 8000mg/kg and 10,000mg/kgof aqueous extract of A. indicarespectively whileGroup 4 received 4ml of distilled water (Negative control). The differences in the mean weight, water intake and feed intake between the control and treatment groups was determined using repeated measure One way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and their respective p values were reported at 0.05 level of significance. The most abundant phytochemicals were Saponins, Flavonoids, Tannins and phenolic compounds. Few hours after application of the extract, many animals from the test and control groups showed some signs of discomfort and restlessness by movements around the cage. After 24 hours, very slight and moderate erythema/oedema on skin was observed in the treatment group subjected to 8000mg/kg and 10000 mg/kg body weight dose of Azadirachta indica extract respectively. At 4000 mg/kg body weight, there was skin erosion,at 8000 mg/kg body weight there was incomplete healing, erosion of epidermis and loss of keratin layer in the skin. At 10000 mg/kg body weight healing was complete but keratin layer not deposited. The LD50of A. indicawas greater than 10000 mg/kg body weight. There was a statistically significant difference in the amount of water(P-value 0.0004) andamountof feeds (P-value <0.0001)takenbycontrol group and treatmentgroup that received 10000 kg/mg body weight dose. There was a statistically significant difference in the weight of the animals inall treatment groups when compared tothe control group (p value <0.05).There should also be more understanding into the sub-chronic and chronic dermal toxicity of A. indica extract. Further studies should be done on other experimental animals to ascertain the variability in the dermal toxicity of aqueous extract of A. indicaon other speciesKey words: Acute dermal toxicity, A. indica, Wistar albino rats, phytochemicals
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    Adherence and factors associated with adherence to Tuberculosis treatment among HIV patients accessing health care services at Mengo Hospital
    (Makerere University, 2023) Webombesa, Sarah
    Background: TB is a highly contagious disease affecting a big number of people and is majorly caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The study had a purpose of assessing the adherence and factors associated with TB treatment among TB-HIV coinfected patients at Mengo hospital. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out to assess the adherence and factors associated with adherence to TB treatment among 80 randomly selected HIV positive patients at Mengo hospital in May 2023. Data was collected by use of a questionnaire and later on analysed Results: The findings were such that the rate of adherence to TB treatment was only 37.5%. The factors that negatively affected adherence to TB treatment among study participants were forgetfulness to take TB medication (62.5% vs 37.5%), being too busy or busy with work (90% vs 5.3%), stigma (77.8% vs 54.7%), alcohol consumption (73.1% vs 58.5%), age of 30 to 49 years, and male gender (66.7% vs 33.3%). Conclusion: The rate of adherence to TB treatment was found to be low and a number of factors deterred adherence to TB treatment like forgetfulness, being too busy with work among others. Recommendations: We recommend that the government of Uganda through its Ministries of Health and Local Government should continue sensitizing masses of people about TB being a curable disease which needs to be treated early enough to avoid complications. This will minimize the stigma associated with the disease among the community members. Mengo Hospital through its outreach programmes should strengthen support supervision and improve counselling in order to increase adherence and minimize forgetfulness and stigma associated with TB treatment. They should also health educate people about not taking alcohol in order to improve treatment adherence.
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    Aflatoxin contamination status in selected animal feeds and concentrates sold in feed stores in Kampala, Uganda
    (Makerere University, 2025) Ogwang, Paul Oscar
    This study was conducted to evaluate the status of aflatoxin contamination in commercial animal feeds and concentrates sold in feed stores in Kampala, Uganda. Aflatoxins are toxic metabolites produced by Aspergillus species, known to reduce animal productivity and pose public health risks through residues in milk, meat, and eggs. Despite existing regulatory limits, there has been limited systematic surveillance of commercial feeds in Kampala, where most livestock farmers source their feeds. A cross-sectional analytical design was employed, and 60 feed samples were collected across five divisions of Kampala, representing four feed categories (layers mash, dairy meal, pig concentrate, and fish feed). Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) was used to detect aflatoxins. Findings showed that 48.3% of samples tested positive for aflatoxins. Among the contaminated samples, 70% contained aflatoxin G, while 30% contained aflatoxin B. Layers mash recorded the highest contamination (66.7%), followed by dairy meal (53.3%), fish feeds (46.7%), and pig concentrate (33.3%). Contamination levels also varied by manufacturing period, with prevalence rates of 35%, 45%, and 80% in May, June, and July, respectively. These findings indicate that aflatoxin contamination is widespread in Kampala’s feed stores and influenced by both feed type and season of manufacture. The high levels observed, particularly in poultry and dairy feeds during wetter months, raise concerns about food safety and livestock productivity. Furthermore, according to the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS, 2018), the maximum permissible level of aflatoxins in animal feeds is 10 µg/kg; however, there is limited data on the extent to which feeds on the Ugandan market comply with this standard. The study concludes that aflatoxin contamination poses a significant threat to the livestock sector and recommends nationwide surveillance and quantitative assessments to strengthen evidence for policy and interventions.
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    Aflatoxins and ochratoxins detection in cinnamon spices sold in selected supermarkets in Kira Municipality, Uganda
    (Makerere University, 2022-12) Nakalembe, Latifah
    Spices are one of the flavoring components of food in the cooking recipes of different nations that are used daily. Studies have shown that, these ingredients may be contaminated by toxicogenic fungi and subsequent production of mycotoxins that cannot be neutralized through cooking. In Uganda, cinnamon is one of the commonest spices used and often sold in supermarkets, but there is limited literature about its safety in terms of mycotoxin contamination which could lead to serious health hazards. In the present study, the possible contamination of cinnamon spices by aflatoxins (AF) and ochratoxin (OT) was investigated from samples collected around different supermarkets in Kira municipality, Uganda. A total of 27 powdered cinnamon spice samples were purchased from supermarkets around Kira municipality. Extraction of AF and OT was done using solvent extraction method at Analytical Biosciences Laboratory, Makerere University AR grade reagents were used and additionally, screening of AF and OT was done using thin layer chromatography and high performance thin layer chromatography respectively. Data was analyzed using STATA software package version 15, and the respective frequencies of each mycotoxin calculated and results recorded. The results showed that all the screened cinnamon spice samples were contaminated with AF and 26 samples (96.3%) with OT. Regarding the high mycotoxins contamination in cinnamon spices as shown in the current study, this indicates that there is a high yet unregulated consumption of mycotoxins in the community which has been proven to be detrimental to health. A quantitative study should be carried out and regular effective surveillance by UNBS and quality control procedures are highly recommended.
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    Agro-pesticides and acaricide use practices in the control of ticks from the 3 selected sub-counties of Kiboga district
    (Makerere University, 2023-10) Lunkuse, Sharon
    Ticks present a significant threat to the livestock industry in Uganda, vectoring diseases that cause economic losses and negatively affect animal welfare. The persistent use of acaricides, often accompanied by poor application practices, has contributed to heightened resistance in ticks. As a result, farmers have begun using agricultural pesticides to manage the tick problem, raising concerns regarding their efficacy and potential side effects. For this reason, a cross-sectional study was conducted in three sub-counties of Kiboga district; Kapeke, Dwaniro, and Lwamata to identify the predominant acaricides and agrochemicals used for tick control, understand the associated usage practices, and evaluate perceived adverse effects on humans and animals. In this study, a chi-square analysis was also conducted to assess the statistical significance of the data, revealing valuable insights between socio-demographic characteristics with use of agro-pesticides. Eighty three (83) farmers participated, distributed as 28 from Kapeke, 30 from Dwaniro, and 25 from Lwamata. Results showed that majority of the respondents (61.5%, 51/83) primarily used amitrazbased acaricides. Most (56.6%, 47/83) depended on personal knowledge for acaricide application. A significant 86.7% (72/83) mixed acaricides with agrochemicals, while 6% (5/83) combined multiple acaricide brands. About 68.9% (58/83) switched acaricide once the current one became ineffective. The commonly used agrochemicals as acaricide were dudu acelamectin (73.5%, 61/83), ocelamectin (12%, 10/83) and dudu force (3.6%, 3/83). Level of education was significantly associated with use of agro-pesticides as acaricides in tick control (p =0.04 ) with people of lower level of education more likely to use these agro-pesticides. Adverse effects noted from agrochemical included blindness, and skin irritation in livestock, sneezing and eye irritation in human handlers. The findings of this study emphasize an urgent need for better tick control practices. There is a requirement for effective acaricide rotation, implementation of safety protocols, and a deeper exploration into the implications using in tick control.
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    An assessment of farmers’ knowledge, attitude and practices on drought mitigation
    (Makerere University, 2022) Musanyana, Brian
    The broad objective of the study was to assess farmers’ knowledge, attitude and practices on drought mitigation in Butemba town council, Butemba and Ntwetwe sub counties respectively in Kyankwanzi District. The specific objectives were to; to evaluate farmers’ knowledge on drought mitigation, to evaluate farmers’ attitude on drought preparedness and to find out farmers’ practices on drought response in Butemba town council, Butemba and Ntwetwe sub counties respectively. The study was across sectional survey that utilized qualitative data collection. Data collection methods used included the following focus group discussions, household interviews, individual farmer interviews, documentary analysis from district annual report and other secondary sources of data mainly articles on drought related issues. A number of mitigation measures put forward by farmers to ensure they are prepared for drought were identified which included construction of valley dams, selling of animals, growing of resistant crop varieties, pasture management and migration to other areas. In addition, other actors like government and Ngo’s intervention measures were identified for example construction of public valley dams, encouraging value addition through operation wealth creation to boast farmer market prices. The study recommended a number of activities and measures that should be undertaken in order to ensure the protection and prevention of farmers’ crisis during drought in Butemba town council, Ntwetwe and Butemba Sub counties of Kyankwanzi for example adopting to changing technology, practicing irrigation farming, forming co-operatives and establishment of Agricultural Banks with low interest rates.
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    Analysis of selected veterinary Hippocratic Oaths in Africa
    (Makerere University, 2022-04) Lubowa, Excellent Mercy
    Veterinary Hippocratic oaths are important tools that express values and commitments to the profession, public and animals. They aide translation of these commitments and values into practice. The contents of these oaths, and as a consequence the commitments expressed in them, are influenced by the economic, social and political pressures at the time of drafting. Oaths may therefore not always be representative of the ideals in current context under which they are used and meant to serve. The context of the modern veterinary profession in Africa has changed ever since its establishment in the colonial times. On this basis, a descriptive case study was carried out to analyse the contents of the veterinary oaths from 6 selected African countries. The purpose of this research was to first to characterize their contents and secondly ascertain the inclusion of current developments in the veterinary profession. The oaths were obtained by means of email and analyzed using a check list. Analysis revealed that content of all the oaths are mainly ethical values and obligations to three parties; the veterinary profession, the public and the animal. The study also found out that the current developments of One Health and animal welfare were under represented, with only 2 oaths out of the 5 included these components. On this basis better representation and emphasis of these components in these oaths is recommended to aide their translation into practice.
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    Analysis of the morphological structure of Ankole cattle horns in relation to their market status in Uganda
    (Makerere University, 2023-09) Mutungi, Derricj
    Ankole cattle horns are economically valuable if effectively utilized. However, limited research in Uganda has hindered their comprehensive understanding and utilization. This study aimed to analyze Ankole cattle horn morphology, focusing on parameters like length, diameter, and sheath thickness across different age groups. Results: Age significantly influenced horn parameters (length, diameter, and sheath thickness). Lateral horn length and sheath thickness were greater than medial counterparts, increasing distally. Market preference favored longer, mature, white horns with a larger circumference. Conclusion: More research on indigenous breeds like Ankole cattle is needed to optimize their utilization, encouraging farmers to breed them and boost the horn processing industry.
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    Analysis of the quality of spring water from protected springs in Nakulabye and Kasubi Divisions in Kampala City, Uganda
    (Makerere University, 2024) Nazeba, Cosmas
    Spring water is a major source of domestic water in Kampala sub urban areas (Haruna ,etl 2005).though spring water is visually acceptable for domestic use ,the presence of poorly designed pit latrines,poor waste management and insufficient spring protection lead to pathogenic bacteria contamination of spring water.Especially during the wet season. And as such, the purpose of the study was to assess the water quality of the protected springs in the areas of Nakulabyeand kasubi in kawempedivision. 14 springs were identified and were all suitable for the study .a total of 28 water samples were collected and transported to the laboratory for analysis of the selected water quality parameters. Of the 28 samples, 14 samples were collected during the dry season and 14 samples during the wet season .from the 14 protected springs, the physical chemical parameters tested included the turbidity, true color and PH, while the total coliform and the faecal coliform were the bacteriological parameters which were analyzed. The results showed that in both the dry and wet season, all the physical chemical parameters complied with the Uganda national standards for portable, untreatedwater, while the bacteriological parameters failed to meet the national standard in both seasons for all the study springs.The relationship between PH and TDS was also observed among the protected springs and there was a significant effect of season on the microbiological characteristics ofthe waterfrom the study springs with total coliform and faecalcolirform almost doubling during the wetseason. Finally the water from the soring should either be boiled or disinfectedbefore human consumption .since there is presence of faecal matter.
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    Analysis of the quality of spring water from protected springs in Nakulabye and Kasubi Divisions in Kampala City, Uganda
    (Makerere University, 2024) Nazeba, Cosmas
    Spring water is a major source of domestic water in Kampala sub urban areas (Haruna ,etl 2005). though spring water is visually acceptable for domestic use ,the presence of poorly designed pit latrines,poor waste management and insufficient spring protection lead to pathogenic bacteria contamination of spring water.Especially during the wet season. And as such, the purpose of the study was to assess the water quality of the protected springs in the areas of Nakulabyeand kasubi in kawempedivision. 14 springs were identified and were all suitable for the study .a total of 28 water samples were collected and transported to the laboratory for analysis of the selected water quality parameters. Of the 28 samples, 14 samples were collected during the dry season and 14 samples during the wet season .from the 14 protected springs, the physical chemical parameters tested included the turbidity, true color and PH, while the total coliform and the faecal coliform were the bacteriological parameters which were analyzed. The results showed that in both the dry and wet season, all the physical chemical parameters complied with the Uganda national standards for portable, untreated water, while the bacteriological parameters failed to meet the national standard in both seasons for all the study springs. The relationship between PH and TDS was also observed among the protected springs and there was a significant effect of season on the microbiological characteristics ofthe water from the study springs with total coliform and faecal colirform almost doubling during the wet season. Finally the water from the soring should either be boiled or disinfected before human consumption. since there is presence of faecal matter.
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    Analysis on rural chicken performance under free range system in Kapchorwa district, Eastern Uganda
    (Makerere University, 2019-09) Namisi, Alex
    The traditional understanding that chicken production can only be produced through exotic systems like constant vaccination and boosters being given all time around forgetting that natural medication can raise birds properly and more healthier with high value products than exotic ones have led to low production of local chicken and this study analyzed rural chicken performance under free range system in Kapchorwa district with a case study of Chema sub-county. This was done to examine production rate, performance and challenges faced in local chicken production in Chema sub-county hence forth propose ways of improving their production. A quantitative study was carried out and the target population were households in Chema sub-county. A sample of 30 households were selected using simple random sampling and interviewed using questionnaires and data collected was captured using Microsoft excel and analyzed using SPSS. Univariate analysis of variables was carried out to examine each individual variable in detail. Frequency tables were being used at univariate level. At bivariate level, chi square test and cross tables were used to compare and establish existence of relationships between variables. Study findings showed that there was poor performance of local chicken production among households in Chema sub-county with 50% being affected by chicken diseases,30% predationand17% lack supplementary feeds. Hens hatch an average of 7-10 chicks andchicks dying before weaning being the major challenge facedbecause 60% of chicken wean an average of 4-6chicks per clutch, lack of good management skills also showed to be a serious factor leading to their poor performance. The study recommended that the district production officer should through extension workers and community development officers provide information/sensitize the community on proper management of local chicken under free range system in order to achieve good performance, such as vaccination, providing supplementary feeds and trainings.
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    Anemia and it's associated risk factors among teenage pregnant women attending prenatal care at Bukomero Health Centre lV
    (Makerere University, 2023-01-25) Ndunguki, Emmanuel
    Anemia in pregnancy represents a global public health concern due to wide ranging maternal and neonatal adverse outcomes in all peripartum periods. I estimated the prevalence and factors associated with anemia in pregnancy at Bukomero HCIV Kiboga district Uganda.The main objective was to determine the prevalence of anemia in teenage pregnant women. I conducted a cross sectional study among 280 teenage pregnant women attending antenatal care clinic at Bukomero Health Centre IV-Kiboga Uganda from September to October 2022.Anemia in pregnancy was defined as Hb level of <11.0g/dl.A total sample size of 280 participants was studied out of which the mean hemoglobin level was 11.4g/dl, hemoglobin standard deviation was of 1.45, the maxim hemoglobin level recorded was 14.3g/dl and the minimum recorded hemoglobin level was 4.8g/dl giving a range of 9.5g/dl.Despite the study having higher prevalence (35.4%) compared to other studies in Uganda, these findings further confirm that anemia in pregnancy is still of public health significance and is likely to have nutritional causes requiring targeted interventions.A larger study would be necessary to obtain a pooled prevalence of anemia in teenage mothers in the central region of Uganda
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    Anemia prevalence and its associated factors amongst children age under 5 years attending OPD Kigumba Health Centre 3 Kiryandongo District Uganda
    (Makerere University, 2024) Anguyo, Pollycarp
    The study investigated hemoglobin levels and its associated factors among children age under 5 years attending the out patient department at kigumba health centre iii, kiryandongo district. The sample size was 131 children. A systematic sampling technique was used to collect data on the targeted population. The study adopted a cross sectional study design where data was collected at a single point in time. Using a multivariate analysis, the researcher examined the relationship between the associated factors with anemia. The research results revealed a prevalence of 38.2% as compared to the national which is at 37.8%. Furthermore, the findings in Table 5, Table 7 indicate that the level of education, occupation of the parents, family income and sicklecell were significantly associated (P<0.005) with anemia (P=0.004), (P=0.034), (P=0.00), (P=0.00) at 95%CI respectively. However the age did not have a statistical significance (P=0.591>0.005) at 95%CI and a positive correlation with anemia. These results contribute to the understanding of anemia and its associated factors. The prevalence in this research shows no big difference with the national prevalence, meaning the current measures are likely not working or are not being implemented well. This calls for a multifactorial approach with new interventions coupled with rigorous implementation of the current interventions to reduce the prevalence of anemia among this age group
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    Animal welfare
    (Makerere University, 2019-11) Okello, Thomas
    Animals interact or cope comfortably with its environment, resulting in satisfaction of both its physical and mental state. This satisfaction enhances expression of normal behavioral patterns by the animal. This study was carried out with the objectives of establishing the welfare status of zero-grazed dairy cows in Kyanja Parish by evaluating the most violated freedom, determining the awareness of animal welfare among the owners of zero grazed dairy cows and to give recommendations on how to raise zero-grazed dairy cows without abusing their welfare after establishing theirstatus. This was a cross-sectional study carried out by administering semi-structured questionnaires covering aspects of zero-grazed dairy cow’s welfare to owners of the dairy cows in Kyanja Parish which include (Kasaana Zone A, B and C, and in Katumba Zone A and B). In the Zones under study 3 to 7 farmers from each ward were chosen and the whole study involved 25 dairy farmers. Some observations were made on the design of zero-grazing unit structures, feeding, watering, disease control and breeding practices undertaken by the dairy farmers. The study established that Zero-grazed cow’s nutrition in general was not good because this was indicated by body scores of the animals. Some of the dairy cows were not provided with overhead shelter but slept outside, exposed to extremes of weather with the sleeping places having slurry and varied levels of hygiene. It was also established that the dairy farmers had very little knowledge regarding animal welfare and wellbeing in general with only 3 farmers, 12% aware of animal welfare and the rest 88% had very little or no knowledge regarding animal welfare. The health challenges facing zero-grazed dairy included: pneumonia 2%, East coast fever20%, mastitis 25%, lameness 10%, foot rot 18%, helminthosis 6% and fly nuisance 100%. This study concludes that inadequate knowledge on animal welfare amongst farmers in these zero-grazed dairy cattle in the smallholder dairy units of the Kyanja Parish has directly resulted to poor animal welfare. There were also other several reasons including resource constraints, low economic returns to investing in animal welfare and absence or non-enforcement of animal welfare regulations.
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    Anti-bacterial activity of ethanolic extract Of Allium Sativum against archived Salmonella Typhi and Staphylococcus Aureus
    (Makerere University, 2019-07) Kalema, Leymon
    This cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the antibacterial activity of A. sativum on S. typhi and S. aureus. This cross-sectional evaluation was carried out in the microbiology laboratory Mulago, between April and July 2019. Samples of A. sativum were obtained from a local market. It was thoroughly, cleaned, and peeled sterilized with ethanol and then washed with clean water. Standard isolates of S. typhi and S. aureus obtained from an archive in Mulago Hospital were cultured on Mueller Hinton agar. Ethanolic extract of A. sativum was prepared using mortar and pestle for grinding and muslin cloth was used to obtain the liquid part of the extract, after which the extract was taken to oven to evaporate ethanol, and put into the rotary evaporator to remove the remaining water then the stock concentration was made. The antibacterial activity of A. sativum was tested on S. typhi and S. aureus using agar well diffusion method on Mueller Hinton agar plates, MIC and MBC. The diameters of Inhibition zones of growth were measured in millimeter (mm), the dilution of 1:0 exhibited the highest antimicrobial activity against the tested organisms with 39mm on S. aureus and 28mm on S. typhi. And for MIC, a higher concentration of the 50mg/ml A. sativum extract was required to inhibit the growth of S. typhi and S. aureus and the least concentration that followed dilution of extract that inhibited bacterial growth was 25mg/ml. Minimum bactericidal concentration, the plates that cultured test tubes 1 to 2, showed no bacterial growth while plate used for culturing test tube 3 showed pure growth for S. aureus and for S. typhi all plates showed no bacterial growth this indicated that the concentration needed for killing Gram-positive (S. aureus) was 100mg/ml and that of Gram-negative was 50mg/ml.
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    Anti-diabetic effect of extracts of persea americana seeds and artocarpus heterophyllus lam seeds in wistar albino rats
    (Makerere University, 2023-09) Jjombwe, Nathan
    Diabetes mellitus, a chronic and progressive metabolic disorder, is a major global health concern affecting millions of individuals worldwide. The increasing prevalence of diabetes calls for effective and affordable therapeutic options. Medicinal plants have gained considerable attention as potential sources of natural remedies for various diseases, including diabetes. This study aimed to investigate the antidiabetic effects of Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam (AH) and Persea americana (PA) seed extracts in Wistar Albino rats. The extracts of AH and PA seeds were prepared using water and ethanol as solvents. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, reducing sugars, phenolic compounds, tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids, glycosides, and saponins in both water and ethanolic extracts. These compounds are known for their potential antidiabetic properties, making the extracts promising candidates for diabetes management. In an experimental study, 27 healthy Wistar Albino rats were used to assess the antidiabetic effects of the extracts. The rats were divided into nine groups and treated with different formulations, including individual and mixed extracts in both water and ethanol solutions. Fasting blood glucose levels were monitored at regular intervals over a period of 15 days. Results demonstrated that both water and ethanolic extracts of PA seeds significantly reduced blood glucose levels. Water extract of AH seeds also showed significant antidiabetic effects, while ethanolic extract of AH seeds exhibited moderate effectiveness. The mixture of PA and AH seed extracts in water showed particularly promising results, with the rats showing signs of healing comparable to those treated with the positive control drug, glibenclamide. In conclusion, the study findings support the potential of AH and PA seed extracts as natural remedies for diabetes management. The identified phytochemicals, such as phenolics and flavonoids, likely contribute to their antidiabetic effects by enhancing insulin secretion, reducing insulin resistance, and promoting glucose metabolism. Further research is warranted to identify and quantify the specific active compounds and investigate the underlying mechanisms of action. AH and PA seed extracts hold great promise as potential therapeutic options for diabetes management. Their natural origin, coupled with the observed antidiabetic effects, presents an exciting avenue for the development of safe and effective complementary therapies in the fight against diabetes.
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    Anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of an ethanolic extract of aerial parts of oxygonum sinuatum in albino mice
    (Makerere University, 2019-10) Mbolwa, Francis
    Oxygonum sinuatum locally called Kafumita bagenda, is traditionally used for relieving pain and inflammation in conditions including tonsillitis, wounds and boils. The study aimed at evaluating the anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of the ethanolic extract of the aerial parts of this plant in albino mice. Qualitative phytochemical screening was done using procedures adopted by Sofowara and Harborne, with modifications. The animals were randomized into three test groups and two control groups of four animals each. The test groups received 200mg/kg, 400mg/kg and 800mg/kg, respectively of the crude concentrate. Negative and positive control group received 10ml/kg of distilled water and 10mg/kg of diclofenac sodium per os, respectively. The anti-inflammatory effect was tested on egg albumin-induced paw oedema while the analgesic effect was tested using the acetic acid-induced writhing response. The data was analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2013 and significance tested using the student’s t-test at 5% level of significance. The extract (200, 400 and 800 mg/kg orally) significantly (p<0.05) and dose-dependently inhibited egg albumin-induced mouse paw oedema compared with control group. Four hours after administration of egg albumin, the highest dose of the extract (800 mg/kg, p.o.) inhibited oedema formation by 100%. This was comparable to the standard drug, diclofenac sodium (10 mg/kg, p.o.) which also gave an inhibition of 100% at 4 hours. The extract also exhibited a significant dose-dependent analgesic activity in the acetic acid-induced writhing test as evidenced by the reduction in the number of writhes at 200, 400 and 800mg/kg compared to the control. The 800 mg/kg dose produced a similar percentage inhibition of writhing (87.8%) compared to the standard drug diclofenac sodium (87.3%). The results obtained in this study provide some evidence that O. sinuatum contains active substances with potential for relieving pain and inflammation.